Fatal Accident Switzerland

[Eclan]

Originally Posted by rnzoli

The wreckages also seems to be on the windward side of the ridge. No clouds either. Doesn't add up. It is usually smooth on the windward side of the mountain and the turbulence starts on the leeward side. At least that's what I experienced when I attempted to fly across a 6000 ft ridgeline.

I'm not sure about windward/leeward as I don't know which direction the wind was from but it definitely looks to have crashed on the east side after crossing the ridge. If it was windward that would be a performance-increasing shear. I saw an item which mentioned a witness having seen burning objects hitting the ground. Very unusual.

[rnzoli]

Originally Posted by Eclan

I'm not sure about windward/leeward as I don't know which direction the wind was from

Me neighter, but looking at the smoke column direction gently climbing up the slope, makes me believe the wrckage fell onto the windward side for sure.
Surface winds in the wider area (Sion, Milano) were weak, westerly or variable, so the likelihood of mountain wave activity is low.
Nevertheless, insolation of the easterly surface on such a clear day can produce powerful thermals by this time in the morning. Since the western / northern side of the pass is colder, this can cause a strong vertical gust over the pass. This might be a viable speculative scenario. why the wreckage fell onto the eastern side.

(Or CO poisoning.)