What happened
On May 17, 1980, a Piper PA-28-R Arrow, registration D-ECMH, departed Samedan airport at 11:45 local time for a visual flight rules (VFR) trip to Karlsruhe, Germany. The aircraft was carrying one passenger. While the weather conditions in the Engadin valley were favorable for VFR flight, the pilot intended to fly over the Julier Pass.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was observed climbing through the valley but then turning back toward the mountains. As the aircraft approached the Julier Pass, it entered heavy cloud cover. Witnesses near the pass reported hearing the engine noise abruptly cease, suggesting a sudden reduction in power. The aircraft subsequently entered the Val d'Agnel, where it struck a snow-covered mountainside at high speed in a suspected spiral dive. The impact destroyed the aircraft and resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the flight preparations of the pilot. The aircraft was found at an altitude of 2,500 meters on the eastern side of the Val d'Agnel. The wreckage was compact, though the wingtips had been torn off, and the landing gear and flaps were retracted. Analysis of the propeller blades indicated that the engine was producing little to no power at the moment of impact. An ICAO map was found open in the cockpit.
Technical inspections of the engine, fuel systems, and control surfaces revealed no pre-existing mechanical defects. Medical examinations of the pilot showed no impairment, noting only trace amounts of carbon monoxide consistent with cigarette smoke and a negligible blood alcohol level. The investigation also noted that the aircraft was not equipped with an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), which delayed the discovery of the wreckage until a week later when melting snow revealed the debris.
Findings
- The pilot was flying under VFR authority but did not hold an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) rating.
- Weather reports (GAFOR) indicated that the Julier Pass was effectively closed for VFR flight due to low cloud ceilings.
- The pilot likely entered clouds while attempting to navigate the complex, S-shaped terrain of the alpine pass.
- The pilot entered clouds over a mountain pass and subsequently collided with a mountainside.
- Evidence suggests the pilot may have reduced engine power while attempting to regain visual contact with the terrain, leading to the fatal descent.