What happened
On August 8, 2001, a Cessna P210 N Centurion, registration OO-SGI, departed from the Barcelonnette aerodrome in France, bound for Calvi, France. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers. Shortly after takeoff, following a 600-meter ground roll, the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 400 feet. At this stage, the aircraft experienced a sudden left turn accompanied by a high pitch attitude and a significant right slip. The aircraft then entered a steep dive to the left, impacting a wooded area where a post-crash fire occurred. All five fatalities were confirmed.
Earlier that day, the aircraft had arrived at Barcelonnette from Liège, Belgium. During the previous arrival, the pilot performed a go-around after an overly long approach and subsequently experienced a hard landing that caused the left landing gear to veer off the runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's stability and the pilot's handling of the flight. Video footage from a witness captured abrupt control inputs approximately ten seconds before the aircraft began its fatal turn. Mechanical examination of the wreckage revealed no structural or mechanical failures capable of causing the loss of control, and the elevator trim was found in the neutral position.
Investigators examined the aircraft's loading and fuel configuration. The aircraft was equipped with an additional 110-liter auxiliary tank located behind the cabin. While the fire destroyed much of the wreckage, evidence suggested that fuel remained in this auxiliary tank and had not been fully transferred to the wing tanks. Furthermore, the cabin was heavily loaded with luggage, including bags stacked to the roof in the rear left seat.
Findings
- The aircraft was likely in an unstable aft center of gravity (CG) configuration.
- The presence of un-transferred fuel in the rear auxiliary tank, combined with heavy rearward luggage loading, shifted the CG toward the tail.
- The pilot's lack of mountain flying experience and limited experience on this specific aircraft type contributed to the inability to manage the unstable aircraft during the climb.
- Inadequate flight preparation, specifically failing to account for the CG shift following the previous flight leg, was a primary factor.