What happened
On August 5, 2000, a Piper Aztec PA-23-250, registration C-FBQS, departed Saanen airfield with the intention of flying to Cardiff, United Kingdom. The pilot had previously arrived in Saanen from Canada and was preparing for a long-distance journey.
Prior to departure, the pilot was advised by the Flight Information Service (FIS) that weather conditions were too poor for takeoff. Despite warnings from local pilots and the observation of deteriorating weather in the region, the pilot proceeded with the flight plan. At approximately 12:30, seeing a small break in the clouds, the pilot decided to depart.
Shortly after takeoff at 12:46, the aircraft was observed by a witness performing a steep descent to remain below the cloud base. As the aircraft progressed through the valley, visibility and ceilings dropped significantly. The aircraft eventually struck a mountainside approximately 12 km south of Bulle, near the Pointe de Cray, at an altitude of roughly 1800 meters. The impact was high-energy, and the pilot was killed.
The investigation
The investigation established that the aircraft's engines were both operating at high power at the moment of impact, and the landing gear was retracted. While the aircraft's GPS was present, the impact was so severe that no data could be retrieved from the device or the flight instruments.
Medical examinations of the pilot revealed no evidence of alcohol or drugs, though the presence of indomethacin—an anti-inflammatory medication—was noted. While this medication can occasionally cause dizziness, investigators could not definitively conclude it impaired the pilot's capacity. The investigation also noted that the pilot was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot continuing a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under instrument flight weather conditions (IFR).
- The pilot encountered a dense cloud layer with a ceiling significantly below the mountain ridges.
- The aircraft was in a steep descent, likely attempting to stay below the clouds, which reduced the available maneuvering space within the narrow valley.
- The pilot's decision to fly despite explicit warnings from local personnel and observed deteriorating conditions contributed to the collision.