What happened
On May 24, 2015, a Pélican 450 S ultralight, registration 59-CAW, was conducting a cross-country flight from Coulomarl-Voisins to Eu-Mers-le-Tréport. The crew, consisting of the pilot and a passenger acting as an instructor, had previously made a stop at Persan-Beaumont.
As the aircraft approached the coastal area near Ault, the crew encountered a sudden influx of sea fog. While flying at a low altitude beneath a cloud base of approximately 100 meters, the pilot lost visual references to the ground. In response to the deteriorating visibility, the crew deployed the aircraft's emergency parachute. The Pélican 450 S landed on the roof of a hangar, but due to the slope of the structure, the aircraft slid and fell several meters to the ground. Following the impact, the aircraft caught fire, leading to the deaths of both occupants.
The investigation
The BEA examined the meteorological conditions, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the sequence of events leading to the deployment of the parachute. Investigators analyzed weather charts and local station data, which confirmed that sea fog was moving inland. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying low and noted a sudden vertical ascent followed by the deployment of the parachute.
Technical examinations of the engine revealed that it was still running at the moment the aircraft struck the hangar roof. Investigators also looked into the cause of the post-impact fire, which was linked to the projection of fluids onto hot engine components after the aircraft fell from the roof.