What happened
On April 24, 2017, two experienced paramotor pilots took off near the Grand Canal d'Alsace for a recreational flight. The aircraft involved included an Ozone Slalom 21 wing powered by a Flyproducts Rider Thrust engine and a second aircraft equipped with a Paramania GTX wing.
After approximately 50 minutes of flight, weather conditions deteriorated as the wind increased and became turbulent. The pilot of the Paramanamente aircraft observed the second pilot performing a turn to return toward the takeoff site. Due to the worsening aerological conditions, the Paramania pilot elected to land in a nearby field before reaching a high-voltage power line. However, the pilot of the Ozone Slalom 21 continued the flight, attempting to gain altitude to clear the power lines. At approximately 17:15, the Paramania pilot observed the Ozone Slalom 21 at an altitude of 100 to 150 meters, roughly 400 meters ahead. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft struck the surface of the canal, resulting in one fatality.
The investigation
The wreckage of the paramotor was located two days later on the bottom of the canal, four kilometers downstream from the takeoff site. Investigators examined the propulsion unit and found no evidence of impact damage or mechanical failure; the throttle and propeller rotation were both functional. The fuel tank contained a mixture of water and gasoline, with approximately six liters of fuel remaining. The emergency parachute was present but had not been deployed.
Meteorological data from the Colmar-Meyenheim station confirmed that wind speeds had increased from 2 knots to gusts of up to 24 knots during the period of the accident. The investigation also noted that the pilots had consulted a non-aviation weather website prior to flight and were not carrying VHF radios or any means of communication.