What happened
On June 15, 2002, at approximately 15:10 local time, an Emeraude CP-301 C ultralight aircraft, registration EC-ZCR, crashed near the Antequera ultralight airfield in Málaga, Spain. The aircraft departed from runway 10 during a non-commercial pleasure flight. The takeoff roll proceeded without incident, and the aircraft gained altitude. As the aircraft passed over the opposite end of the runway (heading 28), the pilot increased the pitch angle and initiated a left turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft suddenly rolled to the right and plummeted to the ground in a near-vertical attitude. The impact occurred in a poppy field approximately 850 meters from the departure runway head. The pilot sustained multiple fractures and required helicopter evacuation to a hospital, while the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, the flight conditions, and the pilot's experience. The aircraft, a wooden construction, was found overturned with the forward fuselage destroyed. The engine was displaced one meter from the impact crater. Investigators noted that the wings had sustained significant damage, including a dented leading edge on the right wing. The pilot was wearing a four-point safety harness, which, although its rear support detached from the fuselage during the impact, prevented the pilot from being thrown from the cockpit or being further injured by cockpit movement.
Witnesses on the ground, including experienced pilots, observed the takeoff and noted that the engine functioned correctly. They reported that the pilot increased the pitch angle so significantly that they had to radio him to reduce the climb gradient. The pilot later stated that while flying at approximately 70 knots, he looked to the right to check on colleagues on the ground who were providing flight instructions, after which he lost consciousness of the sequence of events.
Findings
- The pilot was performing his first flight with this specific aircraft type and had limited familiarity with its handling characteristics.
- The accident was caused by an aerodynamic stall resulting from the combination of an increased pitch angle and a turn, which led to a critical reduction in airspeed.
- The pilot's lack of familiarity with the Emeraude CP-301 C contributed to the loss of control.
- The use of a four-point safety harness was a decisive factor in the pilot's survival, preventing him from being ejected or suffering more severe trauma during the impact.