What happened
On Saturday, June 21, 2003, at approximately 16:10, a Jodel D 18 amateur-built aircraft, registration F-PZBZ, crashed near the unpaved runway 31 at Rodez Aerodrome. The flight was part of an aero-club rally. After departing from the paved runway 31 at 15:45, the pilot attempted to contact the aero-club flight leader via the self-information frequency but was unsuccessful.
During the flight toward Aurillac, the pilot became concerned regarding rising engine oil temperatures. As the pilot attempted to descend and reduce engine power, the oil temperature reached 115°C. At 16:06, the pilot broadcasted a calm message on the self-information frequency, stating that the aircraft was returning to the grass runway 31 due to the inability to cool the engine.
While performing a low-altitude circuit, the aircraft entered its final turn. According to the passenger, the stall warning sounded during this maneuver, which involved a moderate bank angle that increased sharply. The aircraft struck the ground near the axis of the unpaved runway 31. The impact resulted in the death of the pilot and one injury to the passenger, who was ejected from the aircraft upon impact. The aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft wreckage and flight data from an onboard GPS. The wreckage showed no mechanical failures other than those related to the impact. GPS data indicated that during the final moments, the aircraft was in a turn with a bank angle of approximately 35 degrees, with an airspeed very close to the stall speed of 75 km/h.
Investigators also reviewed club safety bulletins. The aero-club had previously issued a restriction stating that the D 18 should not be flown when ambient temperatures exceed 23°C due to overheating risks. Furthermore, a dashboard warning advised that if oil temperatures exceed 100°C, engine power must be reduced to 2,500 RPM.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's preoccupation with the engine oil temperature, which led to a loss of situational awareness and inadequate aircraft control.
- The decision to operate the aircraft in extreme ambient temperatures (34°C) contributed to the overheating issue.
- The aircraft was flying at a low altitude and low airspeed during the final turn, making the maneuver highly susceptible to a stall.
- The pilot's attention was focused on technical monitoring at the expense of active piloting.