What happened
On Saturday, April 19, 1997, at 12:30, a Pitts S-2B registered as F-GJHE was engaged in a private delivery flight. The pilot was transporting the aircraft from Château-Arnoux to Valence following a recent sale. During the flight, the pilot chose to fly over the Lake Sainte-Croix-de-Verdon, initially following the shoreline before deciding to descend toward the center of the lake.
While performing a steep left-hand turn during this descent, the aircraft struck the water with extreme force. The impact caused the aircraft to sink. While the pilot managed to escape the wreckage and reach the surface of the lake, a passenger on board was killed. The aircraft was subsequently lost.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the impact and the pilot's physiological state. The pilot reported experiencing a period of unconsciousness lasting several seconds during the tight turn, only regaining awareness just as the aircraft was about to collide with the water.
Investigators also examined the pilot's condition prior to the flight. It was noted that the day before the accident, the pilot had engaged in strenuous physical labor. Additionally, due to preoccupations regarding the sale of the aircraft, the pilot had gone to bed late and suffered from poor sleep.