Loss of Control in Flight (Stall)

History of the Flight

“On 25 August 2019, the single-engine piston, four seated Piper PA-28RT-201 took- off at 09:43 from Lausanne with three people on board. The pilot was seated on the front left-hand seat and two passengers were seated at the rear. After take-off, the pilot joined the beginning of the Rhone Valley near Montreux, at an altitude of 4100 ft AMSL. When approaching Martigny he maintained a shallow climb of about 100 ft/min with an indicated airspeed of 120 kt and navigated according to the planned route pre-programmed on his tablet.

 At 10:23 in the vicinity of Brig, with an altitude of 6100 ft AMSL and a ground-speed of 120 kt, the pilot turned right towards the Simplon Pass (6578 ft AMSL) with the intention to climb further into the valley. 

At 10:25 witnesses near the Simplon Pass observed the G-BVDH flying at low height with a high pitch-up attitude and, subsequently, impacting the north-west face of the Hübschhorn”

“The single engine aircraft impacted with the terrain in an almost flat attitude, proceeding to slide downwards approximately 10 metres before reaching its final position. A post-impact fire occurred.“