What happened
On May 16, 2006, a Mooney M20J, registration F-GJFT, departed Agadir Almassira for Tétouan as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and two passengers. During the flight, the pilot contacted Tangier Tower to inquire about the availability of AVGAZ 100LL fuel. Upon learning that fuel was unavailable at Tangier, the pilot decided to proceed to the original destination of Tétouan.
At approximately 13:06 UTC, the aircraft established contact with Tétouan Tower while cruising at FL055. The controller provided meteorological information, noting a cloud ceiling between 1,000 and 1,600 feet. As the aircraft approached the airport, the pilot reported difficulty maintaining visual contact with the ground due to stratus clouds. At 13:19 UTC, the pilot reported flying above the stratus but subsequently realized the aircraft had entered the cloud layer, causing a loss of visual references.
After informing the controller that the aircraft was climbing to exit the clouds and intended to divert to Tangier, radio contact was lost at 13:22 UTC. The aircraft subsequently struck a mountain approximately 7NM southwest of Tétouan. The three fatalities were recovered the following morning near the wreckage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's flight path, radar tracks, and the wreckage at the impact site. Radar data showed the aircraft followed its planned VFR route until it began its descent toward Tétouan. The wreckage was found scattered over a 50-meter area on a mountain slope.
Investigators noted that the propeller and engine components showed damage consistent with a high-angle impact while the engine was still producing power. Meteorological analysis confirmed that the cloud ceiling was below the minimum requirements for VFR flight. It was also noted that the pilot had reviewed weather forecasts for Tangier rather than for the destination at Tét0uan.