Description

On 30 March 2008, a privately operated Cessna Citation 500 which had just taken off from Biggin Hill UK for Pau, France in day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) reported ‘engine vibration’. Whilst positioning for a return to land, the aircraft descended and the pilots reported a major power problem just before it struck the side of a house killing all five occupants and destroying the house and adjacent property in the intense fire which followed.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the UK AAIB. In the absence of both Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) which were not required to be fitted, the investigation was difficult. There were two pilots on board but it was not possible to ascertain the exact role of pilot during the flight. The one in the left hand seat had recently qualified on type and was employed to fly the aircraft on behalf of the owners and there was another pilot with more experience on-type in the right hand seat who was believed to have been functioning as a mentor.

The track of the aircraft constructed from radar records is shown on the map below, taken from the AAIB Report.