What happened
On June 23, 2003, a Robin DR 400-120, registration F-GSKX, departed from the Le Puy-en-Velay aerodrome for a flight to Saint-Etienne. The pilot, accompanied by one passenger, intended to follow the Loire Valley to take advantage of favorable winds. During the flight, the pilot was unable to locate the intended landmarks and became lost.
After approximately 30 minutes of searching, the pilot broadcast a distress call on the 121.5 MHz frequency. The message was intercepted by a commercial airliner crew, who provided the pilot with the approach frequency for Clermont-Ferrand. While the pilot believed he recognized the area after contacting air traffic control, he remained disoriented. In an attempt to resolve the navigation issue, the pilot instructed the passenger to use a mobile phone to call a fellow pilot for assistance with the onboard GPS. Due to high engine noise, the passenger was unable to communicate effectively. During this period, the aircraft's stall warning was heard by the person on the other end of the phone, followed by the sounds of the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's flight path and the mechanical condition of the wreckage. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft struck the ground in a flat attitude and came to a stop within seven meters. The engine was not producing power at the moment of impact, and no mechanical anomalies were found in the aircraft's systems prior to the collision. The fuel tanks were more than half full at the time of the accident.
A witness near the crash site reported seeing the aircraft flying at a low altitude of approximately 20 meters at a low airspeed, traveling from the northeast toward the southwest, passing near their residence.