What happened
On November 8, 1998, at approximately 17:15, two gyrocopters were participating in a formation flight training session near the Aubiet aerodrome. The formation consisted of five aircraft, with the single-seat gyrocopter F-WTYA positioned as number three and the two-seat gyrocopter F-WZYD positioned as number four. After performing two vertical passes over the terrain, the formation dispersed.
Following the dispersal, the pilot of F-WTYA turned into a right downwind pattern, while the pilot of F-WZYD turned into a left downwind pattern. Both aircraft subsequently converged on the final approach at an altitude of approximately 15 meters. As the pilot of F-WTYA adjusted their trajectory to the right to align with the runway centerline, a collision occurred. The pilot of F-WZYD observed the other aircraft on a converging path and attempted an immediate evasive maneuver to the right; however, the rotor of F-WTYA struck the left side of F-WZYD. The impact caused the pilot of F-WTYA to lose control, leading to the destruction of the aircraft and causing injuries to the pilot. Despite sustaining serious injuries, the pilot of F-WZYD managed to maintain control of the aircraft until landing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the maneuvers performed during the transition from formation flight to the landing phase. Investigators noted that the aircraft involved were not equipped with radios, which limited communication between the pilots during the dispersal. Furthermore, the investigation examined the pre-flight preparations and whether the specific procedures for the landing phase had been addressed during the initial briefing.