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British aircraft in mid-air collision in the French Alps

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...d-one-18766785

Both occupants in an EV97 killed, sole occupant in the other aircraft (Zodiac?) survived.

Possibly entirely unrelated, but surely an EV97 with two people on board, at the prevailing temperatures and in this location must have been operating at the edge of the envelope?

Another news source (Le Dauphine; link on the Aviation Safety report of the accident) now states that it was two separate accidents and no collision, and that the two aircraft were part of a group of five aircraft travelling together, the other three having returned to Barcelonette

https://www.ledauphine.com/haute-pro...-col-de-larche

2 small planes collide in France. 2 British pilots died.

Two small planes collided over France today.
2 pilots died, one survivor. Planes according to local tv news are believed to be based at Eshot airfield in Northumberland UK. May they RIP.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/24/two-b...ance-10452658/

The Daily Express newspaper states that the owner of one of the planes G-SJES is Purple Aviation.
https://expressdigest.com/two-brits-...e-french-alps/

According to BBC News @ 1800z the survivor was one of the pilots.
RIP to those that perished.

Confirmation that it wasn't a mid-air: Il n’y a pas eu de collision entre les deux avions

From Purple Aviation on Facebook:

Quote:

Purple Aviation extends its deepest sympathies to the families of the two men who died in a tragic accident in the Alps today (Wednesday).

We can confirm that there was no mid air collision as described, and that the pilot of the first aircraft to crash walked away from the wreckage unharmed after a well executed forced landing.

We have been overwhelmed with messages of support throughout the day and would like to thank everyone who has tried to help us.

The men were in a plane that was part of a private expedition of five aircraft travelling from Newcastle to Malta.

The accident happened over the Maddalena Pass, on France’s border with Italy.

Whilst the expedition was not organised by Purple Aviation, the team included two company directors, Richard Pike and Sam Woodgate.

Richard said: “This was a group of experienced pilots and close friends embarking on the trip of a lifetime, which has been planned over the last year.”

The trip had set out from Eshott Airfield in Northumberland on Sunday and had been travelling in a series of stages, scheduled to reach Malta on Saturday.

The pilot who died was flying an aircraft loaned by Purple Aviation as part of the support network for the trip.

The passenger in the plane, who was also killed in the crash, was another close friend.

Richard said: “Everyone involved has been devastated by this tragic accident”

“We’d like to pass on our sincere condolences to the families of those who died. We have lost two brilliant friends today”

An investigation is now ongoing by French aviation authorities, and they have been provided with the expedition’s film footage of the incident to see how events unfolded.

Purple Aviation Facebook video of the formation.

On the Purple Aviation facebook page, a video was added yesterday morning of the planes while in formation.

RIP to those involved.

Very mountainous terrain, incidentally reasonably close to the site of the Germanwings tragedy. The area around Barcellonette is very beautiful but summertime mountain wx can be quite unpredictable.

A quick translation of an opinion in La Provence...

Quote:

"For officials of the Ubaye Gliding Center, manager of the aerodrome of Barcelonnette-Saint-Pons, it is the lack of knowledge of mountain flying that could be at the origin of this accident. In difficulty, the first plane would have opted for a "wise" emergency landing, the second aircraft for a half-turn, fatal because poorly negotiated. A scenario that could be reinforced by the testimony of one of the five British pilots present on the sector of Viraysse".

https://www.laprovence.com/article/s...-tourisme.html

Second fatality named

The second victim in a tragic French Alps plane crash has been named as 18-year-old former Gateshead schoolboy Lewis Stubbs.
Taken from the Chronicle Live website ; https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news...rance-16646344 .
Very sad .
RIP

The Mistral can affect this region in July especially when temperatures are raised as they were this week. For two aircraft to encounter difficulties in a mountain pass at the same time suggest that this is a weather related event. What, if any research was conducted into local mountain weather effects?

Having spent ten years flying this region after a one to one course with the best French mountain gliding instructor it’s not an area that I would attempt to fly a light aircraft without getting substantial altitude before getting close to the granite.
Neil Williams and Steve fosset both met their ends not understanding mountains.

I had a narrow escape from a vortex / downburst combination downwind and 250' above a 50' downslope in about an 18 kt wind aloft.

The shear in a vortex can be twice the wind aloft.

Our glider club is located east of the 8000' Livingstone Range at 3900'.

Wave lift can reach over 30,000'. The sink and rotors are equally powerful.

The other aircraft was one of three Taylor monoplanes which were in the group.

Quote:

Wave lift can reach over 30,000'. The sink and rotors are equally powerful.

Back in the 80s we were studying mountain wave in Scotland and could measure the amplitude to 30,000ft and above.

From Eshott Airfield , Andrew Buck funeral arrangements ;

Andrew Buck

By now everyone has heard the tragic news of the accident in the French Alps that claimed the life of our good friend and airfield member, Andrew.

Andrews funeral will take place at the Sunderland Crematorium at 09:30 on Wednesday 14th of August.

The dress code is smart casual.

We hope to see you there to support Andrews family and pay your respects to a great guy and a passionate aviator.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatherBeFlying (Post 10528996)

I had a similar narrow escape flying over Mont Ventoux in Provence, France. My track took me south, 500' over the summit, at which point the the VSI very rapidly went south as I got sucked down the other side. The wx was otherwise benign up to that point and there was no strong Mistral on the day in question but in the mountains things can change very very rapidly. Thankfully I was in an aircraft with enough grunt to get me out of jail but will not forget that day. Sobering stuff.

Thoughts are with the families and friends of the lost pilots and pax. Sad days.