What happened
On January 30, 2015, a Piper PA 46-350P, registration N246PR, departed Geneva Airport under instrument flight rules (IFR) bound for Genk, Belgium. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft began exhibiting erratic flight behavior. Radar data indicated that the aircraft initially deviated from its path, followed by significant fluctuations in altitude and airspeed.
During the climb, the aircraft entered a phase of unstable flight characterized by random headings and rapid changes in vertical speed. While the pilot managed to briefly communicate that there was a problem, the aircraft's flight path became increasingly unpredictable. The aircraft eventually entered a high-speed spiral, descending rapidly into a field in the commune of Bernex. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained fatal injuries upon impact.
The investigation
The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SUST) examined radar tracks, radio communications, and technical components of the aircraft. The investigation focused on the flight dynamics during the period of instability and the potential for technical malfunctions. Investigators analyzed the flight control indicator (KI 2 .56) and the autopilot system (KFC 150) to determine if an electronic failure could have induced the pitch changes observed.
Technical analysis suggested that a potential intermittent electrical contact issue within the flight control indicator's brushes could have provided erroneous pitch information to the autopilot. This could have caused the autopilot to command an uncommanded pitch-up. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's center of gravity was outside the forward limit specified in the aircraft flight manual at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a loss of control that placed the aircraft into unusual attitudes which the pilot could not recover from.
- The pilot's insufficient skills in managing a high-performance aircraft with complex systems contributed to the accident.
- The aircraft was operating with a center of gravity outside the allowable forward limit.
- There was evidence of potential unreliable electrical contact in the flight control indicator, a known issue in this instrument type.
- Meteorological conditions were consistent with IFR flight, and icing was ruled out as a contributing factor.