What happened
On Monday, November 22, 1999, at 11:17 AM, a Robin DR 400-180 aircraft, registered F-GTPQ, crashed near Fontanès, France. The flight, which was being operated privately for travel purposes, had departed from the Salon - Eyguière aerodrome at 09:40 heading toward Rouen.
While flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the pilot contacted the Saint-Etienne - Bouthéon control tower near the Saint-Chamond entry point. During this communication, the controller advised the pilot that meteorological conditions were deteriorating in the southeast. At 11:16 AM, the controller provided a METAR report for Saint-Yan. Shortly thereafter, the controller requested the pilot confirm his position, as radio navigation equipment placed the aircraft east of the installations.
At 11:17 AM, the pilot reported that he had entered a cloud layer. Although the controller advised the pilot to attempt to maintain VFR conditions, an emergency signal from the aircraft was detected by a transit aircraft at 11:18 AM. An eyewitness near the crash site observed the aircraft flying at an extremely low altitude of approximately ten meters, descending and banking to the left. The aircraft struck the roofs of two houses before crashing into the ground.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, and the pilot's communications with air traffic control. Investigators noted that the weather at the site involved light intermittent snow, visibility between 4 and 8 km, and broken cloud layers at 3,000 feet. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience and the aircraft's final moments as observed by a witness.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in deteriorating weather conditions characterized by low visibility due to snow and cloud cover.
- The pilot entered a cloud layer while attempting to maintain VFR flight.
- The accident resulted in one fatality (the pilot) and the total destruction of the aircraft.