Serious incident to the Socata Rallye 180 registered F-BVZU on 16/02/2023 at Bagnères de Luchon

Although aware that night was approaching, the pilot decided to undertake a ferry flight, believing that he would be able to reach his destination before the aeronautical night. The delays accumulated before the flight did not lead him to reconsider his decision to undertake the flight, and the pilot took off less than 15 minutes before sunset at his destination, at a time that would very likely not allow him to land before the aeronautical night.

En route, due to the low light conditions, he initially decided to divert. He felt that a diversion to Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées airport, which he had just passed, was not possible because of a controllers’ strike. He therefore opted for Saint-Gaudens-Montréjeau aerodrome, which is not equipped for night flying. Unable to make out the runway, he continued on to his originally intended destination, with which he was more familiar, being aware of the surrounding terrain, and with very limited external visual references. He made contact with trees during the first approach, without losing control of the aeroplane.