Disintegration of a Viscount During an International IFR Flight from Lille to Wroclaw (SP-LVA)

Flight Progression and Loss of Contact The aircraft operated a non-scheduled international instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Lille, France, to Wroclaw, Poland. It departed Lille at 1240 GMT and was cleared to climb to flight level 160 on a heading toward the waypoint “Silly.” At 1242 GMT, the pilot contacted Brussels Area Control Center (ACC) and reported an altitude of 3,000 feet while still climbing, with an estimated time of 1249 GMT to reach “Silly.” By 1253 GMT, the pilot reported being over “Silly” at flight level 120 and was cleared to climb and maintain flight level 130. At 1254 GMT, the pilot reported reaching flight level 130 and estimated arrival at “Gatta” at 1300 GMT. Five minutes later, the pilot again reported being over “Silly” at flight level 130 and estimated arrival at “Olno” at 1310 GMT. Because “Silly” had been mentioned for the second time, the radar controller checked the aircraft’s position and confirmed that it was actually over “Gatta.” At 1300 GMT, the controller directed the pilot’s attention to a Caravelle, registration F-BJTQ, which had passed “Gatta” at 1256 GMT on airway “Green One” and was cleared to turn right on Luxembourg. That aircraft requested permission to make a detour to avoid intense storm activity. At 1311 GMT, Brussels ACC had not received the expected report from the Viscount that it had reached “Olno.” Radio contact attempts were unsuccessful, and no radar echo appeared near “Olno.” No distress signal was recorded.