What happened
On January 3, 2004, at approximately 09:00 UTC, an unregistered Air Création Racer 503 ultralight aircraft took off from the Arripiado Parachuting Field in Chamusca, Portugal. The aircraft, a single-seat motorized pendular type, was operating from a smoothed strip of terrain used by airborne troops.
During the landing phase, while approaching the runway in a South/North direction, the pilot deviated from the centerline. The aircraft landed approximately two meters to the right of the paved edge, striking an irregularity in the adjacent terrain. The impact caused the nose gear to deform and the main landing gear structure to fracture. The aircraft sustained severe structural damage, including a broken wooden propeller and damage to the left wing structure. The engine continued to run following the impact until a witness manually cut the fuel supply.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation focused on the pilot's qualifications, the aircraft's airworthiness, and the landing conditions. Investigators found that the pilot did not possess a valid pilot license. Although the pilot had previously enrolled in an ultralight flight school and held a medical certificate from 2002, he had never completed the necessary theoretical or practical training, nor had he been issued a student pilot card.
Regarding the aircraft, the Air Création Racer 503 lacked registration, identification, and insurance documentation. The investigation also noted that the landing strip used at the Arripiado field was not registered with the INAC (National Institute of Civil Aviation) and was not certified for ultralight operations.
Findings
- The pilot lacked the necessary training and was not qualified to operate the aircraft.
- The aircraft was unregistered and lacked proper legal documentation.
- The landing approach was deficient, resulting in the aircraft leaving the smoothed portion of the runway.
- The landing strip was an uncertified, unregistered terrain strip.
- The aircraft's mechanical systems, including the engine and flight controls, were fully operational prior to the impact.