Accident to the Piper PA-28 Arrow registered F-GHKI on 24/11/2002 at Brando (Haute-Corse) close to the summit of Monte Stello
Cruise flight in mountainous region in weather conditions incompatible with a VFR flight, collision with terrain, fire
Cat. 2 investigation report: simplified-format report, adapted to the circumstances of the occurrence and the investigation stakes.
The pilot, who was accompanied by his wife and two friends, took off at about 15:20 under VFR from Florence airport (Italy) bound for Cannes‑Mandelieu airport (Alpes-Maritimes), flying over Corsica.
While flying over the sea between Italy and Corsica, the pilot shifted his route to the north of his planned flight path for an unknown reason. Subsequently, after contacting Bastia, the heading and altitude of his path changed, probably in order to avoid cloud and precipitation.
The pilot had been flying for more than one hour when his workload probably increased: with no autopilot at his disposal, the pilot passed from an overflight over the sea with no vertical obstacles to an overflight over a mountainous area, probably in turbulent air conditions with few or no external visual references.
At the same time, he was concerned about the meteorological conditions at destination, which was to be reached about an hour later, at the beginning of the aeronautical night. His thinking and decision-making took precedence over his piloting of the aircraft at an untimely moment of the flight.
One minute before the collision, he requested clearance to climb to 4,500 ft, which was an altitude that would enable him to reach the NW reporting point of the Bastia-Poretta CTR. However, given his position to the north of the planned route, the ridge line of Cap Corse and Monte Stello was ahead of him and shrouded in clouds. The requested altitude was therefore not sufficient to clear this obstacle with the required margin.
The return trip from Florence to Cannes-Mandelieu was undertaken with passengers on board who had work commitments the next day. A final diversion to Bastia-Poretta airport, with which he was in contact just before the accident, does not appear to have been considered by the pilot.
The accident resulted from a decision to undertake the flight in meteorological conditions that were incompatible with a VFR flight, and from the pilot’s insistence on continuing the flight despite the option that was still available to him to divert to Bastia-Poretta airport a few minutes before the accident.