What happened
On June 4, 2010, a CAP10 C aircraft, registration F-GRRA, was performing aerobatic training maneuvers near Saint Rambert d’Albon. The flight, operated by Union des aéroclubs Rhône-Alpes, involved a flight instructor in the left seat and a student pilot in the right seat. After successfully completing an inverted spin, the crew attempted a flat spin maneuver.
During the right-hand flat spin, the aircraft entered a state of rotation that the crew could not arrest. The student pilot followed the recovery procedure previously instructed by the instructor, but the rotation continued for approximately ten to twelve turns. The instructor then took control and attempted various recovery techniques, including adjusting rudder, aileron, and engine power, but these rapid, successive changes in strategy failed to stop the descent.
Recognizing the loss of control, the instructor initiated an emergency evacuation by jettisoning the canopy. The student pilot successfully exited the aircraft and deployed a parachute, though they sustained injuries upon landing. The instructor was unable to evacuate before the aircraft struck the ground, resulting in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA investigation focused on the recovery procedures and the aircraft's specific handling characteristics. Investigators examined the flight manual, which differs from the instructor's taught method, and analyzed the physical configuration of the CAP10 C.
Crucially, the investigation found that the control stick position in the left seat of this specific model is offset. When the instructor applied aft elevator pressure, it inadvertently induced left aileron deflection. In the context of a right-hand flat spin, this specific aerodynamic input actually helped maintain the spin rather than breaking it. The investigation also reviewed the crew's decision-making process regarding the altitude at which the recovery was attempted and the timing of the evacuation order.