What happened
On June 27, 2004, a Piper PA 38-112 Tomahawk, registration F-GCSI, departed Carpentras for Gap as part of a cross-country flight. During the flight, the pilot became disoriented after failing to identify the intended arrival point at Gap. While attempting to reorient using a VOR station, the pilot misidentified a landmark and mistakenly believed the aircraft was over the Serres La Bâtie airfield.
Seeking to return to Gap, the pilot turned to a heading of 090 degrees, leading the aircraft into a valley blocked by a mountain pass. As the pilot attempted to climb to clear the terrain, the engine reached its maximum power limit. In an attempt to maneuver, the aircraft entered a stall warning. The pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing on a steep slope in the Cristillan valley at an altitude of 7,700 feet. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and one injury to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's navigation, flight planning, and training background. Investigators reconstructed the flight path using radar data and the pilot's testimony, noting that a folded aeronautical chart had obscured critical information regarding the area north of the Gap/Embrun axis.
Analysis of the flight path revealed that a north-westerly wind had drifted the aircraft south of its intended track. The investigation also looked into the pilot's training, noting that while the pilot had recently obtained his PPL, his experience in mountainous terrain was extremely limited. The pilot's training had primarily taken place in much flatter environments, such as the Durance valley, which did not prepare him for the complexities of high-altitude navigation and terrain clearance.
Findings
- The pilot became lost due to an incorrect interpretation of the aeronautical chart and the effects of wind drift.
- Inadequate consideration of wind effects caused the aircraft to deviate from its planned course.
- The pilot lacked sufficient awareness of the specific challenges associated with mountain flying, particularly the relationship between engine power and altitude.
- The pilot's navigation was further compromised by a folded map that prevented the viewing of certain geographic details.