Zone
Crash of a Piper PA-46-310P Malibu in Sion
Date & Time:
Nov 4, 1994 at 2030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HB-PIP
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sion - Sion
MSN:
46-8508091
YOM:
1985
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
1.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
167
Aircraft flight hours:
2780
Circumstances:
Owned by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), the aircraft was dispatched at Sion Airport to perform several local training flight. At the end of the day, a pilot under training and an FOCA inspector decided to complete a local training flight out of Sion Airport. The single engine aircraft took off at 1935LT and the crew completed several touch-and-go maneuvers. Less than an hour later, after takeoff from runway 26, while in initial climb, the engine failed. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing in an open field when the aircraft collided with a car on a street and crashed on the ground. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries while one people in the car was seriously injured. The aircraft and the car were destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb due to fuel exhaustion. Investigations revealed that during the flight preparation, the flight inspector was the victim either of a mistake or of a lack of attention when he checked the quantities in the fuel tanks, an operation carried out at night using a flashlight which was uneasy. The aircraft already flew for three hours prior to the accident and no fuel was added prior to the present flight.
Final Report:
Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2M-1 Turbo Porter on Mt Finsteraarhorn: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 27, 1993 at 0901 LT
Operator:
Registration:
V-621
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Buochs - Sion
MSN:
647
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was completing a flight from Buochs AFB to Sion, carrying to employees of the Federal Military Department and one pilot. While approaching the Finsteraarhorn mountain, the pilot encountered atmospheric turbulences and severe downdrafts when the aircraft went out of control and crashed on the mountain. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by severe atmospheric turbulences and downdrafts caused by foehn wind.
Crash of a Piper PA-31P-425 Navajo in Sion: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 11, 1980 at 1513 LT
Registration:
D-IHRK
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Geneva - Sion
MSN:
31P-7300137
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Sion Airport runway 26, the pilot maintained radio contacts with ATC and all seems normal on board. At low height and low speed, the airplane banked left then right, went out of control and crashed in flames in a road located in the center of the city. The airplane as well as several cars were destroyed. Few buildings were damaged. Both occupants were killed while no one on the ground was injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the left engine was running abnormally fast at the time of impact while the right engine was in idle. No technical issue was found on the engines and it is believed that the pilot made a mistake during the approach by unintentionally shutting off the fuel supply to the right engine. This caused the aircraft to become unstable and the pilot was unable to correct the situation.
Final Report:
Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Sion
Date & Time:
Dec 31, 1976 at 1058 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HB-FFY
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sion - Sion
MSN:
679
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
39.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1613
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was engaged in a local skydiving flight in Sion area. Flaps were selected at 28° for takeoff that was completed from runway 08. After rotation, while climbing to a height of about 100 feet, the tail stalled and the airplane crashed back onto the runway. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane came to rest few dozen metres further. All nine occupants were evacuated, one passenger was slightly injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a loss of speed due to abnormal use of flight controls and landing flaps. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Stall during initial climb after the pilot prematurely retracted the flaps from 28° to 14°,
- At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 2,600 kilos, 185 kilos above the MTOW for existing flying conditions,
- There were eight passengers on board while the aircraft was certified for seven passengers maximum,
- The relative limited experience of the pilot.
- Stall during initial climb after the pilot prematurely retracted the flaps from 28° to 14°,
- At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 2,600 kilos, 185 kilos above the MTOW for existing flying conditions,
- There were eight passengers on board while the aircraft was certified for seven passengers maximum,
- The relative limited experience of the pilot.
Crash of a Dornier DO.28A-1 in Vernier: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 11, 1975 at 0905 LT
Registration:
EC-BNH
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Geneva - Sion
MSN:
3030
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
1.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1400
Aircraft flight hours:
2530
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed runway 23 at Geneva-Cointrin Airport at 0903LT. During initial climb in limited visibility due to foggy conditions, the crew encountered technical problems with instruments and the airplane completed several turns at a height between 10 and 40 meters. The crew spotted a building of nine floors and elected to make an evasive manoeuvre when the airplane stalled and crashed on a railway track located in Vernier, about three km from the airport. The accident occurred about two minutes after takeoff. At the time of the accident, the horizontal visibility was 500 meters, the vertical visibility 65 meters with a runway visual range of 750 meters for runway 23.
Probable cause:
Investigations determined that after departure, the pilots were confronted with various technical issues on several instruments. Indeed, the crew had started the flight under instrument flight rules but was forced to continue under VFR mode, which was impossible due to the lack of visibility caused by the presence of fog. The aircraft maintenance did not comply with the published requirements due to corrosion detected on the bearings of the electrical turn indicator that led to the assumption that this instrument was not working at takeoff, and probably for a long time. In addition, the artificial horizon was blocked at the time of impact and investigators believe that this instrument was partially deficient at the time of departure. The pilot-in-command accumulated 3,381 flight hours in total but had only 45 minutes of experience on this type of aircraft. The copilot had a total of 2,990 flying hours including 1,400 on type. Given the presence of fog, the pilot's lack of experience and the malfunctioning of two vital instruments, the crew should not have started the flight, especially since neither pilot had a valid license under IFR mode.
Final Report:
Crash of a Pilatus PC-6 Porter on the Glacier des Audannes
Date & Time:
Aug 20, 1965
Operator:
Registration:
HB-FAP
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sion - Glacier des Audannes
MSN:
339
YOM:
1959
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the single engine aircraft crashed upon landing on the Glacier des Audannes located about 14 km north of Sion Airport. While all eight occupants escaped uninjured, the airplane was written off.
