ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 277035
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| Date: | Saturday 2 April 2022 |
| Time: | 09:20 UTC |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II |
| Owner/operator: | Social Infrastructure Ltd |
| Registration: | G-EGVA |
| MSN: | 28R-7635229 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1976 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-C1C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | English Channel, about 20nm West of Le Touquet -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Wellesbourne Mountford Airport (EGBW) |
| Le Touquet Airport (LTQ/LFAT) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The two pilots of the Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II, G-EGVA, were taking part in a flying club ‘fly-out’ from Wellesbourne Airfield in the U.K. to Le Touquet in France. Six other aircraft took part in the fly-out. One of the aircraft flew IFR2. The six other aircraft, including G-EGVA, planned to fly VFR each flying a similar route.
Whilst the fly-out was arranged by the flying club there was no coordination or joint pre-flight planning. Each of the pilots reported that they had completed their own planning and made their own assessment of the weather conditions. The six VFR aircraft took off from Wellesbourne between 07:50 hrs and 08:30 hrs and proceeded separately. G-EGVA was the second of the VFR aircraft to takeoff at approximately 07:54 hrs but, being a faster aircraft, overtook the first aircraft near Basingstoke.
At 08:46 hrs a video was posted online by the right seat pilot of G-EGVA, showing the aircraft passing abeam Shoreham at the planned en route altitude of 5000 ft. Cumulus cloud could be seen in the distance ahead of the aircraft.
About 09:07 the aircraft began a descent to about 3000 ft at approximately 500 fpm, where it remained for 30 seconds before climbing to over 7000 ft at about 1000 fpm, while maintaining an easterly track. Over the next 50 seconds the aircraft climbed 400 ft, descended 200 ft, and then climbed 300 ft, and at the same time turned right, left, and right again through a total of 50°.
At 09:16 the flight reported to the London Information controller that they were 'currently in cloud'. The aircraft then continued to turn to the right in a descent. Radar contact was lost 40 seconds later as the aircraft descended through 4600 ft with a calculated descent rate of just under 10000 fpm. In the days after the accident several items were found on the French coastline which had come from the aircraft.
Four of the five other aircraft flying a VFR route had been able to descend and find a gap to fly around the cloud. The pilot of the aircraft which flew under IFR to Le Touquet reported that he estimated the cloud tops to be at least 8000 ft when he flew past the line of cumulus cloud at approximate 08:25 hrs.
AAIB Conclusion
Control of the aircraft was lost when it entered a highly active cumulus cloud, which had been forecast. Neither occupant was qualified to fly in IMC. It is likely the aircraft was substantially damaged on impact with the sea.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/plane-crash-english-channel-guy-wakeley-b992180.html
2. https://twitter.com/SimonJonesNews/status/1510320941410230281
3. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/english-channel-plane-search-crash-called-off-calais-south-warwickshire-flying-school-b992376.html
4. https://www.20minutes.fr/faits_divers/3267387-20220407-calais-objets-provenant-avion-disparu-mer-retrouves
5. https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=4068bf&lat=51.364&lon=-0.135&zoom=8.0&showTrace=2022-04-02&trackLabels
6. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/GEGVA/history/20220402/0754Z/EGBW/L%2050.58543%201.08009
7. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-egva#2b5b0b31
8. AAIB Bulletin S1/2022 SPECIAL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/627d2b3f8fa8f53f90e3b9b1/S1-2022_Piper_PA-28R-200-2_G-EGVA.pdf
9. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-special-bulletin-s1-slash-2022-on-piper-pa-28r-200-2-g-egva
Media:
Pre-flight weather decision making is important. It is easier to make decisions on the ground without the added demands of flying the aircraft. Read the Special Bulletin on G-EGVAhttps://t.co/EkhC2JqUxb#LightAircraft #AviationSafety #AirSafety #GeneralAviation pic.twitter.com/2OnuH576oa
— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) May 13, 2022
G-EGVA Piper PA-28 at Wellesbourne Mountford,Warwickshire, 02/05/2021If you ditch in water and need to exit the aircraft rapidly there is a risk of becoming entangled if you fasten your lifejacket over your seatbelt. Read the Special Bulletin on the loss of G-EGVAhttps://t.co/EkhC2JqUxb#LightAircraft #AviationSafety #AirSafety #GeneralAviation pic.twitter.com/VTlpjffKft
— AAIB (@aaibgovuk) May 13, 2022
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Apr-2022 19:04 | harro | Added |
| 02-Apr-2022 19:09 | harro | Updated [Location, Country, Source, Category] |
| 02-Apr-2022 19:21 | harro | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 02-Apr-2022 19:23 | harro | Updated [Location, Category] |
| 02-Apr-2022 23:38 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 03-Apr-2022 08:38 | RobertMB | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Country, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Apr-2022 15:43 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 03-Apr-2022 19:00 | johnwg | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Apr-2022 19:18 | RobertMB | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Apr-2022 16:43 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 07-Apr-2022 20:47 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 13-May-2022 10:17 | harro | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 13-May-2022 10:18 | harro | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 31-May-2022 15:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 31-May-2022 15:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 31-May-2022 17:53 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
| 14-Jul-2022 18:14 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 14-Jul-2022 18:19 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 02-Oct-2022 20:15 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 17-Nov-2022 10:31 | harro | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, Accident report] |
| 17-Nov-2022 10:32 | harro | Updated [Embed code] |
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