What happened
On June 6, 2006, a Wassmer 51A, registered F-GNCK, departed from an airfield for a local flight accompanied by one passenger. The pilot, intending to fly over a property he owned, was operating the aircraft at a very low altitude near Mont Marcou.
At approximately 9:38 UTC, witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low height, roughly 30 meters above the trees. The aircraft was seen performing a left-hand turn that transitioned into a steep bank and a sudden, aggressive nose-down attitude. The aircraft subsequently plummeted vertically into a wooded area, striking rocky ground at an altitude of approximately 365 meters. The impact resulted in two fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the aircraft struck the ground with high vertical velocity and significant left-wing tilt. The wreckage showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the impact; the engine appeared to be functioning normally, and the propeller blades indicated the engine was delivering low power at the moment of impact, which may have been due to a pilot's reflexive action during the loss of control.
Witness accounts corroborated that the engine sound was normal during the preceding flight phase. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's flight controls remained intact and connected to the control surfaces, though they were broken within the cockpit due to the force of the impact. The investigation concluded that the pilot did not have sufficient altitude to recover from the maneuver.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the decision to execute a steep turn at a very low altitude.
- The aircraft entered an asymmetric stall during the maneuver, leading to a loss of control.
- The low altitude prevented the pilot from performing the necessary recovery maneuvers to avoid the terrain.