Ultra-light aircraft strikes power pole during obstacle avoidance maneuver

Casualties unknown • Benavente, PT

A Synargie Sky Ranger V 95 B struck a utility pole and became entangled in electrical cables while the pilot attempted to navigate around construction obstacles near Benavente.

What happened

On December 3, 2003, a Synargie Sky Ranger V 95 B, registration CS-ULO, departed from Benavente aerodrome for a 30-minute recreational flight. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and one passenger. During the landing approach to runway 33, the pilot identified a 15-meter-tall crane from a nearby construction site that obstructed the normal glide path.

To avoid the crane, the pilot executed a rightward deviation while maintaining a low airspeed and descending. As the pilot attempted to return to the runway centerline, two 14-meter-tall concrete silos were identified in the flight path. The pilot chose to maintain the course, flying perpendicular to the runway axis between the crane and the silos. During this maneuver, the aircraft's right main gear struck a 4.5-meter-tall wooden utility pole. The impact caused low-voltage electrical cables to wrap around the engine cowling and landing gear. The tension from the cables caused the aircraft to yaw sharply to the right before the aircraft ultimately struck the ground. Both the pilot and the passenger were uninjured.

The investigation

The GPIAAF investigation examined the flight path, the aircraft's condition, and the presence of the construction site obstacles. Investigators noted that while the pilot was familiar with the aerodrome, he had not flown this specific aircraft in the 90 days prior to the accident. The investigation also reviewed witness testimony, which suggested the aircraft may have experienced a loss of airspeed and a steeper descent than initially reported by the pilot.

Findings

  • The pilot elected to navigate around the obstacles by descending and turning rather than performing a vertical evasion maneuver (climbing) to clear the obstructions.
  • The poor piloting technique of descending while maneuvering around obstacles at low speed was the primary cause of the accident.
  • The aircraft's right main gear struck the wooden pole, leading to the entanglement in live wires.
  • A contributing factor was that the flight school, which owned the aerodrome, had not prohibited the use of runway 33 or relocated the runway threshold to avoid the hazards posed by the construction site.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by poor piloting technique, specifically the decision to descend and maneuver at low speed to avoid obstacles rather than climbing to a safe altitude. The presence of construction equipment near the approach path and the failure to restrict runway use also contributed to the event.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2003-12-03 Synargie Sky Ranger V 95B accident near Benavente, PT?

A Synargie Sky Ranger V 95 B struck a utility pole and became entangled in electrical cables while the pilot attempted to navigate around construction obstacles near Benavente.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2003-12-03 involved a Synargie Sky Ranger V 95B, registration CS-ULO, at Benavente, PT.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by poor piloting technique, specifically the decision to descend and maneuver at low speed to avoid obstacles rather than climbing to a safe altitude. The presence of construction equipment near the approach path and the failure to restrict runway use also contributed to the event.

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