Another fatal DA2 crash

[Lou]

I am sorry for the pilot and occupants, but it is helpful to others to reflect on what might have happened. It seems likely that it was a pancake stall. I see 3 passengers talking about a missed approach, an embarassed pilot who is concerned about what his passengers think forgets about flying the plane. It's not about the plane. The plane itself did pretty well for the impact, and no fire is apparent.

I have noticed that when I have new passengers aboard, I alwas forget something small. For me the lesson here is when you have a full airplane, or any passengers, above all, ignore the people and fly the plane.

[Karl]

The survivability aspects of an aircraft are usually designed with some component of forward speed in mind. A flat vertical impact is unusual in aircraft accidents, there is usually a component of forward speed. A vertical impact can easily cause fatal spine and neck injuries. Your head weighs approx 10=11 lb. In a 5g impact that would effectively be 50 -
55 lb, a 10g impact 100-110 lb. It is easy to see how an accident like this can be fatal even if the cockpit remains intact as appears to be the case in this incident.
You can design aircraft seats to help dissipate the energy but it is very difficult to protect the neck.

[dgger]

Does France issue final reports similar to NTSB in the US?

They do. The equivalent to the NTSB would be the BEA.

I have no insight whether or not they had investigators travel to the scene or even intend to open an investigation. They had investigated similar accidents in the past, though. E.g. this one:

http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2007/d-us070 ... 070606.pdf

[rwtucker]

Does France issue final reports similar to NTSB in the US?

They do. The equivalent to the NTSB would be the BEA. I have no insight whether or not they had investigators travel to the scene or even intend to open an investigation. They had investigated similar accidents in the past, though. E.g. this one: http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2007/d-us070 ... 070606.pdf

Looks pretty thorough. The ATC implications of this example are scary, though. It looks like the pilot was in the soup, asked for a higher altitude, and was ignored.

"The pilot repeatedly asked air traffic control to for FL 135.
Without a positive response from the air traffic services to his request, the
pilot decided to change strategy and continue his flight at low altitude."

Does the pilot have overriding authority in France as they do in the US? It almost sounds like the pilot did not perceive the authority to climb to safety.

[klang]

"... does the pilot have overriding authority in France as they do in the US?"
I trust, this right vests with pilots anywhere in the world, no matter which country. But even if there was a country where this right was ignored, I would not hesitate a second to decide for safe conduct of flight, decide and take evasive action, regardless what ATC says.