Originally Posted by
patagonia1
Indeed, a very sad incident, moreso with a young child involved.
Is it possible to get downdrafts that strong? I have been caught in a variety at various locations across Europe but the most height I have lost is a few hundred feet before getting back into level or climbing flight. An arrow isnt an underpowered small plane either. Weather looks VMC from the press images; I was initially thinking CFIT due to IMC or loss of control in IMC, but then I do not know the pilots qualifications or experience.
Either way a sad report and hopefully more information will come to light on the series of events that took place that day.
Without making any comment with regard to this sad accident - since I have no information about the local weather conditions at the time -
Yes it is entirely possible in principle (and practice) to get downdrafts strong enough to overwhelm the climb capability of even a powerful aircraft in mountainous terrain like the Alps. (Not strictly relevant here perhaps but even large jet airliners have had to make major course changes to get out of mountain sink conditions.) Depending on the weather - and especially in certain wind directions very strong up and down drafts may occur. If wave conditions occur, the turbulence at low level can be severe and the areas of strong sink may not necessarily be simply where 'normal ' hill flying assumptions would put them. As was said earlier, this is why approach to ridge line and valley divides is best done at an angle, to allow rapid change of direction if everything goes pear shaped. Look at the cloud patterns as well as the ground profile.
In Britain we do not have mountains of the impressive extent & challenge of the Alps so we do not have mountain flying ratings of the type recommended or required in some Alpine countries. Even so, some of our hills and mountains can produce conditions at or beyond the limits for light aircraft at times - ask any mountain wave tug pilot!
Because it is rare to find this in the UK, it is possibly not something that would be in the forefront of a pilot's mind, on a bonny looking day with, as you say, apparently pleasant VFR conditions.