What happened
On February 15, 2003, a pilot was conducting a solo aerobatic training flight in a Mudry CAP 10B, registration F-GAUE, near the Le Castellet aerodrome. The flight proceeded normally through several maneuvers, including a roll and a loop, until the pilot attempted a recovery from a high-speed maneuver.
Upon exiting a maneuver at approximately 310 km/h, the pilot experienced significant difficulty maintaining level flight. The elevator controls became exceptionally heavy when attempting to pull up, while remaining functional for nose-down inputs. To alleviate the physical strain of maintaining altitude, the pilot attempted to use the pitch trim; however, the trim system proved completely ineffective. As the aircraft's speed decreased, the pilot found the plane increasingly uncontrollable and, unable to maintain a safe flight path, decided to bail out. The aircraft subsequently crashed in a wooded area north of the aerodrome.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight control systems and the maintenance history of the aircraft. Investigators examined the wreckage of the elevator control chain, the horizontal stabilizer, and the trim system.
Technical analysis of the trim control box revealed worn gears and a blocked control cable. The investigation also found that the trim system lacked recent lubrication and that the trim tab stop had been incorrectly reinstalled during a recent maintenance session. Furthermore, investigators examined the elevator control linkage and discovered scratches on the torsion tube, suggesting interference from an object. The maintenance records showed that the aircraft had undergone a major inspection (Grande Visite) only days prior, followed by a brief 12-minute test flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of control is believed to be a foreign object located under the flight control fairing, which interfered with the elevator control linkage and restricted upward elevator deflection.
- The pitch trim system was non-functional due to improper maintenance, including worn components, lack of lubrication, and an incorrect reassembly of the trim tab stop.
- The recent major inspection was performed with insufficient rigor, as evidenced by the failure to properly service the control surfaces and the inadequate duration of the subsequent test flight, which should have lasted at least one hour.