What happened
On Thursday, February 13, 2003, at 16:45, a Piper PA 22-150 Tri-Pacer, registered F-BHPE, was engaged in a flight from Romilly-sur-Seine to Nangis. During the flight, the aircraft experienced a loss of control and collided with the ground. The wreckage was located in a flat, unobstructed field approximately 20 km west of Romilly-sur-Seine.
Physical examination of the crash site revealed that the aircraft struck the ground with high energy, initially impacting with the left wing. The wreckage was found tightly grouped and compressed due to the force of the impact. The propeller was torn from the engine and located roughly fifteen meters from the primary impact point; notably, one propeller blade exhibited heavy twisting and striations, indicating that the engine was producing power at the moment of impact. The nose gear and the left main landing gear were sheared off. While the aircraft was destroyed, investigators determined that the fire likely started after the collision, as no debris outside the main wreckage showed signs of fire damage.
The investigation
Investigators analyzed the wreckage, the flight conditions, and the pilot's medical history to determine the sequence of events. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident included a temperature of -1 °C, visibility of 7 km, an overcast ceiling at 2,500 feet, and a wind from 040° at 6 knots.
The investigation focused on the physical evidence of the impact and the medical findings from the autopsy of the pilot. The pilot, a 68-year-old experienced flyer with 647 total flight hours, had been under medical supervision following a coronary artery bypass graft in 1986.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a myocardial infarction suffered by the pilot during the flight.
- The autopsy confirmed that the pilot experienced a heart attack prior to the aircraft's impact with the ground.
- The aircraft was operating under a medical certificate that included restrictions for the use of corrective lenses.
- The high-energy impact and the state of the propeller confirmed that the engine was still producing power when the aircraft struck the terrain.