ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 267025
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| Date: | Sunday 22 August 2021 |
| Time: | c. 16:30 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna FR.172H Rocket (Reims) |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | D-EFTP |
| MSN: | FR172H0279 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Hameau de Sainte-Catherine, Vars, Hautes-Alpes -
 France
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Mont-Dauphin-Saint-Crepin Airfield (SCP/LFNC) |
| Barcelonnette Airfield (BAE/LFMR) | |
| Investigating agency: | BEA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Cirrus SR20 (D-EFCD) and a Cessna FR.172H Rocket (D-EFTP) crahed in mountainous terrain near Vars, Hautes-Alpes, France.
The two aircraft were part of a group of about 20 aircraft that were making a trip to the Alps to accustom a group of German pilots to flying in mountainous terrain.
After a stopover on the airfield of Mont-Dauphin - Saint-Crépin, the pilots of SR20 and FR172 took off again at three hours of interval and entered, each, the valley going up towards the pass of Vars at a too low height. The performances of the two planes, taking into account their weight, the flight altitude and the meteorological conditions of the day, were indeed insufficient to cross the pass, taking into account the height at which each of the two planes entered the valley.
According to the SR20 pilot, he approached the center of the valley to get out of the way of another aircraft that was lower than him. He then had difficulty gaining altitude. The pilot belatedly realized that he would not be able to make it over the pass. The passenger repeatedly asked the pilot to turn around to the right, and the pilot did not respond because he was afraid of approaching the terrain near the eastern slopes on the other side of the valley. When he realized that he would not be crossing the Vars pass, the pilot looked for a suitable site for an emergency landing. He identified a wooded area to his right, which he considered his only option given the environment, and attempted to land on the treetops.
When the Cessna 172 pilot entered the valley, he thought the aircraft was not climbing in downwind conditions. He then thought he could exploit lift along the slope to gain altitude, but was surprised that the aircraft was not climbing fast enough. When he realized that he had no option to continue the flight, he then turned off in another direction, halfway to the Vars pass, and decided to abort the flight to land in a meadow that seemed suitable.
The investigation could not determine why each of the two pilots did not gain more altitude, or turn around before entering the valley.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.bfmtv.com/bfm-dici/vars-deux-blesses-graves-apres-le-crash-d-un-aeronef_AN-202108220130.html
https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers-justice/2021/08/22/deux-avions-s-ecrasent-cinq-allemands-blesses
https://www.laprovence.com/actu/en-direct/6464921/vars-cinq-blesses-dans-deux-accidents-davion.html
_____________________________
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/89012_1627416206.jpg (photo)
Media:
Dimanche, 22 août 2021_Deux avions immatriculés en Allemagne s'ecrasent sur les hauteurs de Vars (05/Hautes-Alpes) à quelques heures d'intervalle, occasionnant 5 blessés... https://t.co/OupT8ubwaL
— Pilote de Montagne (@PiloteMontagne) August 22, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Aug-2021 19:51 | Iceman 29 | Added |
| 22-Aug-2021 19:56 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Plane category] |
| 22-Aug-2021 19:57 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 22-Aug-2021 20:53 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Source, Embed code] |
| 23-Aug-2021 06:14 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 23-Aug-2021 10:17 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Narrative] |
| 23-Aug-2021 10:18 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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