French accident investigators concluded that the pilots of a Pilatus PC-12 heavily damaged on Feb. 17, 2024, when it collided with the steep runway slope at Courchevel Airport (LFLJ) in the Alps had insufficient experience operating in mountainous regions. In a report published by the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) on Wednesday, the agency found that the turboprop single’s pilot in command (PIC) had flown a steeper glide path than the standard 5 degrees after initiating the descent late.
During final approach, the PC-12, flying at 85 knots and descending at 700 fpm, was below the 5-degree glide path at 0.75 nm from the 1,758-foot Runway 22, which has an 18.6-degree slope at the threshold. The aircraft’s main and nose landing gear collided with the slope before it veered to the left on the runway. It then hit a snow drift that separated the wing and spun the airplane 180 degrees, with additional damage to the propeller blades.
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