Accident to the Cessna F152 registered F-GMOU on 10/07/2022 near the Île de Ré

The pilot took off for a circular cross-country flight departing from Poitiers-Biard airport. After a flight time of approximately one hour, when he was passing abeam Tranche-sur-Mer and heading towards La Rochelle, the pilot heard engine misfires. These intensified a short time later, then the engine shut down. The pilot initially decided to glide to La Rochelle-île de Ré airport but seeing that he would not be able to reach the airport, he changed heading in order to try to join Ile de Ré to carry out a forced landing. When he understood that he could not reach firm ground, he prepared to ditch. The pilot ditched and then evacuated the aeroplane.

The investigation was not able to determine the cause of the engine misfires or of its shutdown.