What happened
On January 11, 2009, a paramotor, identified as 62-AAG, crashed near Mametz, France, during a local flight. The pilot took off from a field located near his residence. During the initial climb, at an altitude of approximately 20 meters, the pilot released the wing's control handles while maintaining contact with the throttle.
As the pilot attempted to adjust his harness (sellette) to a seated position, the wing tilted forward from its vertical orientation and experienced a partial collapse. This loss of aerodynamic stability caused the aircraft to descend rapidly, resulting in a collision with the ground. The impact left the pilot with serious injuries and caused heavy damage to the JPX D 320 paramotor.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the climb and the mechanical state of the aircraft. Witnesses observed the pilot releasing the controls to reposition himself in the harness. A technical examination of the paramotor was conducted, which revealed no mechanical anomalies or equipment failures that could have contributed to the accident.
Findings
Investigators determined that the primary cause of the accident was the accidental activation of the engine's kill switch located on the throttle controller. It is highly probable that while the pilot was manipulating his harness, he inadvertently pressed the button, leading to a sudden drop in engine power. This loss of thrust caused the wing to oscillate forward, triggering the partial collapse.
As a contributing factor, the pilot made the decision to adjust his harness before reaching a safe altitude. Standard paramotor training recommends reaching a minimum safety height of 50 meters before releasing the control handles to settle into the seat. Because the engine shutdown occurred at only 20 meters, the pilot had insufficient altitude to recover control of the aircraft.