What happened
On May 29, 1999, a private Piper PA 28, registered F-GKJH, was conducting a flight from Lessay to Saint Pierre d'Oléron. The flight was intended to reunite the pilot and passengers with other crews at the destination. As the aircraft progressed toward the coast, it encountered rapidly deteriorating weather conditions caused by a maritime fog bank moving in from the south-southwest.
While flying near the coast of the Île de Ré, the aircraft descended through a layer of stratus clouds. Radar tracking indicated that the aircraft's flight path became unstable, with significant increases in both descent rate and airspeed. Shortly before impact, the aircraft performed a 270-degree turn to the right. The aircraft struck the ground near the Chassiron lighthouse, resulting in two fatalities and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, meteorological data, and radio communications. Investigators reconstructed the wreckage and found that the engine was delivering power at the time of impact, as evidenced by the deformation of the propeller blades. The landing gear was found in the extended and locked position.
Meteorological analysis revealed that while the pilot had access to weather information prior to departure, the specific maritime fog bank was not visible on satellite imagery and had not been explicitly mentioned in the pre-flight briefings. Radio logs showed that other pilots in the area were already diverting due to the worsening visibility, but the pilot of F-GKJH reported being "above the layer" during his final communication to La Rochelle.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the decision to continue the flight despite deteriorating meteorological conditions.
- The pilot entered a cloud layer and lost all external visual references.
- The pilot lacked experience in flying without visual references (instrument flight).
- The rapid onset of the maritime fog bank led to a loss of control, likely due to spatial disorientation.
- Radar data showed the aircraft reached a speed of 169 knots just before impact, exceeding its maximum cruise speed of 152 knots.