What happened
On the day of the accident, a single-engine aircraft departed from Geneva-Cointrin Airport at 11:57LT, bound for Genk-Zwartberg Airport. The flight was intended to bring the plane to a facility for scheduled maintenance. Shortly after takeoff from runway 23, the aircraft began climbing through instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). After being transitioned to the departure frequency and receiving clearance to climb to FL090, the aircraft reached an altitude of 4,200 feet while traveling at 142 knots.
During this climb, the aircraft experienced a steep ascent and a significant leftward veer. The flight path became unstable, characterized by rapid changes in heading, altitude, and ground speed. For a period of approximately 20 seconds, the aircraft drifted roughly 555 meters away from the runway axis. Following this period of instability, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. The plane crashed into an open field in Sézenove, situated approximately 7.8 km southwest of the Geneva-Cointrin runway 05 threshold. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, resulting in one fatality involving the pilot.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in IMC conditions during the initial climb phase.
- The flight path was marked by unstable flight parameters, including significant deviations in heading and altitude.