What happened
On February 2, 2001, at approximately 17:45 UTC, a Jodel D-18 ultralight aircraft, registration F-PYVY, crashed into a vineyard near Porto de Muge, Portugal. The aircraft was returning to its home base at Quinta do Alqueidão after a scheduled stop at the Santarém Municipal Aerodrome.
Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude. The flight path involved a left-hand climbing turn, followed by two rotations, and a subsequent steep, nose-down descent into the vineyard. The impact was extremely violent, resulting in two fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft. The force of the impact was so severe that the seatbelts were torn from their structural attachment points, and the occupants were projected from the wreckage.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the wreckage, the engine, and the pilot's credentials. The aircraft, a homebuilt wooden and fabric construction, was found to have an expired certificate of airworthiness. The engine, a Volkswagen powerplant, was in poor condition due to the impact, making a definitive functional analysis impossible; however, investigators noted the absence of fuel in the system due to ruptured lines and found debris in the carburetor bowl.
Investigators also reviewed the pilot's documentation. The pilot, a former commercial pilot, was operating with an expired aeronautical license and an invalid medical certificate. Notably, the autopsy revealed the pilot had a pre-existing loss of the left eyeball, a condition that would have precluded medical certification.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a spin (vrille) during low-altitude flight, characterized by a right-hand rotation and a steep descent.
- The pilot was not legally qualified to operate the aircraft due to the lack of a valid license and medical certificate.
- The F-PYVY was operating with an expired certificate of airworthiness and was not authorized to operate outside of its state of registry (France).
- The high-energy impact caused the structural failure of the airframe and the separation of the engine from the fuselage.
- There was no evidence of engine failure prior to the loss of control, suggesting the accident was a result of aerodynamic stall and spin rather than mechanical power loss.