What happened
On June 10, 2006, at approximately 12:00 local time, a Schleicher ASK 14 motor glider, registration F-CEAY, crashed near Mas Saint-Chely, France. The aircraft had departed from the Florac aerodrome at 11:45 for a local flight. During the initial taxi and takeoff phases, the pilot was heard communicating normally via radio by other users at the airfield.
Shortly after departure, a flight instructor observing the scene noticed the aircraft performing abnormal maneuvers at an altitude of approximately 400 meters, west of the aerodrome. The instructor attempted to contact the pilot via a ground-based glider tow plane radio to instruct the pilot to maintain level flight and reduce engine power. The pilot failed to respond to these radio calls. The aircraft was observed in a left-hand descending turn and continued its erratic flight path until it struck the ground in a high-speed dive. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's mechanical condition and the pilot's medical fitness. An examination of the flight controls revealed no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions.
Regarding the pilot's medical history, investigators noted that the pilot had undergone a coronary artery bypass graft in 1987 following a myocardial infarction. While the pilot had been flying regularly since 2004, the investigation examined the validity of his medical certification. Although a medical examiner had issued a certificate of fitness in October 2005, the Civil Aviation Medical Council (CMAC) had previously indicated that the pilot's health status was not compatible with a Class 2 medical certificate. The pilot had prepared a waiver application on the same day his certificate was issued but had failed to submit it to the CMAC.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was pilot incapacity.
- There were no mechanical failures identified in the aircraft's flight controls.
- The pilot's medical history included significant cardiovascular issues, and there was a discrepancy regarding the official assessment of his medical fitness for Class 2 operations.