What happened
On the evening of March 24, 2005, a pilot operating a Reims Aviation F 172 P departed Mulhouse Habsheim aerodrome for a local reconnaissance flight. During the flight, the pilot reported radio difficulties and initially appeared to be following the correct approach procedures. However, the pilot soon deviated from the planned route, entering the wrong traffic pattern and eventually losing contact with air traffic control.
After the aircraft disappeared from radar and radio contact, an instructor from the local flying club took off to locate the aircraft. The instructor eventually established contact with the pilot, who was flying in a disorganized manner. To ensure a safe return, the instructor and air traffic controllers coordinated a landing at the nearby Basel Mulhouse airport, which was open and equipped with night lighting. Because the pilot struggled with the darkness and formation flying, the instructor provided visual guidance, using ground lights and headings to lead the F-GJFR onto the final approach for runway 16. The aircraft subsequently performed a hard landing, bouncing several times and causing significant damage to the nose gear and propeller. The pilot sustained slight injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's loss of situational awareness and the subsequent navigation errors. Investigators examined the pilot's recent flight history, noting that while he had performed solo circuits recently, he had never flown at night. The investigation also scrutinized the pilot's medical state, specifically his use of medication prior to the flight. Furthermore, the physical cockpit environment was reviewed, as the pilot reported that navigation charts had fallen out of reach during the flight.
Findings
- The pilot's decision to fly while in a degraded state of consciousness caused by the inappropriate ingestion of non-prescription medication, including an antidepressant, led to significant impairment.
- Inadequate flight preparation contributed to the pilot's inability to manage the aircraft effectively during the night flight.
- The pilot experienced disorientation and difficulty with radio communications, exacerbated by the fact that his navigation charts were physically inaccessible during the flight.
- The pilot had no prior experience in night operations.