Accident Overview
A single-engine aircraft departed Cannes-Mandelieu Airport at 1040 local time, destined for Courtrai-Wevelgem Airport in Belgium. On board were four passengers and one pilot.
Flight and Incident Sequence
Approximately one hour and forty minutes into the flight, while cruising in instrument meteorological conditions at flight level 240, the aircraft began a rapid descent to the right, reaching flight level 149. The airspeed increased, and the overspeed warning sounded. Forty-five seconds after the descent started, the aircraft initiated a climb at a rate of 10,000 feet per minute. It stalled at flight level 201, still in IMC. Subsequently, the aircraft entered a dive and assumed a flat attitude upon exiting clouds at an altitude estimated between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. This altitude was insufficient for the pilot to regain control, and without external visual references, control was lost, resulting in a crash in a wooded area.
Aftermath
The pilot and a passenger were killed, while three other passengers sustained injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation
The investigation was hindered by the absence of any flight data recorder. As a result, the exact cause and circumstances of the accident could not be determined with certainty.