They were well over this, especially 20°C on the tank. Temp was 21 or 22 at 5000ft (on the prevision), but anyway that’s very restrictive for summer flying.
Does their departure airport carry Mogas?
I have no idea, VAC chart says “TRO” in addition to avgas and 100ll. AIP says it’s a Total pump, but total only refers to an avgas pump, and SD only mention JetA1 and avgas.
Reading this article from laprovence.com,
https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-alpes/5609308/crash-et-atterrissage-durgence-font-deux-morts-et-un-pilote-indemne.html
the group may have decided to return to base as unable to continue in the valley, one may have decided to force-land, another plane went into the mountain. Maybe a VFR into IMC issue due to rapid degradation of flight condition. But this is just a thought from “responsables du Centre de vol à voile de l’Ubaye”.
From the UK base’s FB site:
An older LAA mogas flyer is here.
However, it appears that this was probably not fuel related. Most likely related to climb performance.
It would be very interesting if IMC was involved. I suspect probably not, otherwise the one who did a successful forced landing would probably not have done so.
The problem with groups flying together in an organised way is that there is a lot of pressure to go.
Peter wrote:
It would be very interesting if IMC was involved. I suspect probably not
Probably, Barcelonette is known for it’s weather traps that has caught even very experienced alpine hunters but I doubt anything in summer, the sky was blue according to weather/people reports…
Peter wrote:
The problem with groups flying together in an organised way is that there is a lot of pressure to go.
The bravado that enters this kind of frame is amazing. It’s like at a fly-in. People can do some incredibly stupid stuff in the company of other pilots/aircraft that would never happen were they on their own.
Apart from nobody I know of having the time to organise it, this is why we don’t do heavily supported fly-ins. There is so much pressure to go.
