Accident to the Pilatus PC12/47, registered HB-FPZ,
at Solemont (25) on 24 August 2012
Update on the Safety Investigation, 30 October 2012
The BEA initiated a Safety Investigation following the accident to the Pilatus PC 12/47, registered HB-FPZ, at Solemont (25) on 24 August 2012. The pilots and the three passengers were killed.
The investigation team visited the accident site between 25 and 28 August 2012.
Organisation of the investigation: International provisions state that the investigation is to be conducted by the State of Occurrence, which associates the State of Registry and the State of Manufacture of the aircraft with the investigation. Other States can be associated with it if they may be able to provide useful information. Since the aeroplane was of Swiss manufacture, was under Swiss ATC control at the time of the accident, was bound for a Swiss airport and had departed from Belgium, the BEA associated its Swiss and Belgian counterparts, respectively the SESA (Service d'Enquête Suisse sur les Accidents) and the Belgian CEAI (Cellule Enquêtes Accidents et Incidents). The aeroplane manufacturer, Pilatus, is technical adviser to the SESA.
Circumstances of the event: the aeroplane was flying from Antwerp (Belgium) to Gstaad (Switzerland). It was cruising at an altitude of 25,000 ft under an IFR flight plan and in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). It was in radio and radar contact with Geneva ATC.
Progress of the investigation: The initial examinations have shown that an in-flight failure of the right wing occurred after the pilot lost control of the aeroplane.
The safety Investigation is now working to establish the causes of this loss of control and of the failure.
The BEA is the French Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority. Its investigations are conducted with the sole objective of improving aviation safety and are not intended to apportion blame or liability.
BEA investigations are independent, separate and conducted without prejudice to any judicial or administrative action that may be taken to determine blame or liability.
