# NTSB CEN09WA582: Reims F172, Commune de Brethencourt, France, September 8, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: September 8, 2009, 12:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place: Commune de Brethencourt, France
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal, 2 uninjured
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Lead agency: Other
- Parties: French BEA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74726
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09WA582
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74726/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74726
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09WA582

## Probable cause (aircraft 2)

Under the jurisdiction and control of the French government.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Other authority investigated (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

On September 8, 2009, at 1240 coordinated universal time, a Commander 114, United Kingdom-registered G-DANT, and a Reims F172, French-registered F-BXIU, collided in mid-air near Commune de Brethencourt, France. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and one passenger in G-DANT were not injured. The student pilot and flight instructor aboard F-BXIU were fatally injured. According to investigators the two airplanes collided while in flight at 1,500 feet in class G airspace. The Commander 114 performed a forced landing to a field and sustained substantial damage during the collision. The Reims F172 departed controlled flight and was destroyed when it impacted terrain. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the French government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the French government or Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses Zone Sud 200 rue de Paris Aêroport du Bourget 93350 Le Bourget Cedex France

## Factual narrative (aircraft 2)

On September 8, 2009, at 1240 coordinated universal time, a Commander 114, United Kingdom-registered G-DANT, and a Reims F172, French-registered F-BXIU, collided in mid-air near Commune de Brethencourt, France. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and one passenger in G-DANT were not injured. The student pilot and flight instructor aboard F-BXIU were fatally injured. According to investigators the two airplanes collided while in flight at 1,500 feet in class G airspace. The Commander 114 performed a forced landing to a field and sustained substantial damage during the collision. The Reims F172 departed controlled flight and was destroyed when it impacted terrain. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the French government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the French government or Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses Zone Sud 200 rue de Paris Aêroport du Bourget 93350 Le Bourget Cedex France

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: F-BXIU (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Reims F172
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1351
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Non-U.S., non-commercial
- Departed: LFPN, Toussus-LeNoble
- Destination: LFPN, Toussus-LeNoble
- Flight plan: Unknown

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: G-DANT (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: COMMANDER 114
- Category: Airplane
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Non-U.S., non-commercial
- Departed: LFPL, Lognes
- Destination: LFRD, Dinard
- Flight plan: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor, aircraft 1; injuries: fatal
- Student pilot, aircraft 1; injuries: fatal

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74726. 12 KB in all.

- Docket Insert (item 1, .PDF, 12 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319626&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Docket%20Insert-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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