On December 28, 1971, a Vickers Viscount (registration F-BOEA) operated by Air Inter was involved in an aviation accident near Clermont-Ferrand-Auvergne (Aulnat), France during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The loss of directional control occurred after the intentional shutdown of an engine during the takeoff roll to simulate an engine failure. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft experienced a loss of control during a simulated engine failure training mission, resulting in an excursion from the runway.
What happened
During a scheduled local training session at Clermont-Ferrand-Aulnat Airport, the flight crew was performing maneuvers to practice emergency procedures. As the aircraft type was accelerating during its takeoff roll, the instructor intentionally deactivated engine number four to replicate an in-flight power loss scenario.
Following this manual shutdown, the pilot-in-command was unable to maintain directional control of the plane. The aircraft drifted toward the right side of the runway and exited the paved surface, eventually coming to a stop in a nearby field. While there were zero fatalities and no injuries reported among the two crew members, the incident resulted in the total loss of the aircraft due to structural damage sustained during the excursion.
Findings
The engine shutdown was a deliberate part of the training syllabus.
The primary factor in the accident was the pilot's inability to maintain the runway centerline following the simulated failure.
Probable cause
The loss of directional control occurred after the intentional shutdown of an engine during the takeoff roll to simulate an engine failure.