2001 Robin DR 400-160 accident at Armissan (F-GEIP)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence On August 15, 2001, a Robin DR 400-160, registration F-GEIP, operated by a club, departed Saint-Rambert d'Albon for Perpignan with a pilot and three passengers. The flight was intended for a family gathering. During the transit, weather conditions deteriorated in the Béziers region. The pilot, in contact with Montpellier approach, attempted to maintain visual flight conditions while descending. The pilot's last radio message was at 13:01, indicating the Béziers axes were clear. Radar data from the final four minutes showed unstable cruise, with altitude fluctuating between 600 and 2,400 feet and vertical speed varying between +2,300 and -3,000 ft/min. The last two radar plots indicated a direction nearly opposite to the initial trajectory. The aircraft was found on the slopes of the Clape massif at Armissan. The distress beacon functioned, and the accident was reported by witnesses.