What happened
On February 10, 2007, a Piper Seneca PA34, registration N2195B, was conducting a VFR flight from Shoreham, United Kingdom, to Cannes, France. During the transit through French airspace, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions. While navigating through the Lyon Terminal Control Area (TMA), the pilot requested a descent from flight level 105 to lower altitudes to maintain visual meteorological conditions (VMC).
Upon exiting the Lyon controlled airspace, the pilot contacted Marseille Information to request a transition to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) due to the worsening weather. Shortly after establishing contact with Marseille, the aircraft disappeared from both radar and radio communications. The wreckage was subsequently located at an altitude of approximately 6,400 feet on the western slope of the Grand Veymont massif, near Gresse en Vercors. The impact resulted in three fatalities, including the pilot and two passengers, and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight's progression through various air traffic control sectors and the pilot's attempts to manage the weather. Investigators examined radio transcripts between the crew and Lyon and Marseille controllers, which revealed a period of coordination between controllers regarding the aircraft's request to switch to IFR. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance records, which showed the engines had been replaced in 2001, and the pilot's extensive experience, including over 800 hours of IFR flight time. Meteorological data from Météo France was analyzed to reconstruct the weather conditions, which included heavy cloud cover and low visibility at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying under VFR when it encountered deteriorating meteorological conditions, specifically heavy cloud layers and reduced visibility.
- The pilot was attempting to transition from VFR to IFR flight rules to safely navigate through the worsening weather.
- The aircraft struck the terrain in the vicinity of the Grand Veymont massif while the crew was in the process of coordinating the change in flight rules with Marseille Information.