Piper PA-38 Forced Landing at Cannes-Mandelieu

Incident Overview and Immediate Circumstances On 7 November 2009 at 13:30 local time, a Piper PA-38 registered F-GAME, operated by a flying club, experienced a loss of engine power during a third long final approach at Cannes-Mandelieu aerodrome. The 15-year-old student pilot, who was flying solo as part of a basic license course, reported to air traffic control that the engine was misfiring and that he could not reach the runway. He attempted to switch fuel tanks from left to right and back to left, but the engine did not regain power. He then landed in a field approximately 700 meters upstream of the runway threshold, just before the highway bordering the aerodrome. The aircraft collided with trees at the end of the rollout, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft and minor injuries to the pilot. ## Contributing Factors and Investigation Findings The pilot had taken off with approximately 30 liters of fuel in each tank, sufficient for the planned flight. Meteorological conditions included a wind from 170° at 3 knots, overcast at 6,600 feet, a temperature of 12°C, a dew point of 7°C, and a QNH of 1006 hPa. These conditions were highly favorable for carburetor icing. The pilot stated that he had not noted the temperatures provided by the ATIS, believing they were not relevant, and had confused carburetor icing with airframe icing, failing to recognize the danger. His instructor had not warned him about the phenomenon before the flight. The pilot had 41 hours of flight time, all on type. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the carburetor heat control was in the 'OFF' position. The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by the student's lack of knowledge of carburetor icing, with the club's lack of vigilance regarding this rare phenomenon at the aerodrome being a probable contributing factor.