What happened
On November 11, 2015, at approximately 18:10, a Tanarg 582 hang glider, identified as 37-AFH, crashed in a field near Verneuil-sur-Indre, France. The pilot had departed from the Loches ultralight airfield at 16:10 for a local flight, intending to visit several nearby châteaux before returning to Loches.
Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude over a field near their residence. During the flight, the aircraft struck a medium-voltage power line, which was positioned approximately six meters above the ground. This impact caused the aircraft to strike the ground, resulting in the death of the pilot and heavy damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, meteorological conditions, and radar data. The wreckage showed that the two lower front wing struts had been severed by the impact with the electrical cable, which also tore a cable from the power line. The forward section of the tricycle gear sustained heavy damage from the ground impact. No engine failure was detected.
Radar data from the Cinq-Mars-la-Pile military radar confirmed a flight path consistent with the accident, showing a stabilized straight-line flight on a heading of 230 degrees that ended near the crash site at 18:09.
While the pilot typically did not fly after sunset, the investigation noted that sunset had occurred at 17:25, and aeronautical night had begun at 17:55. Although the pilot usually used a tablet for navigation, the device was found in his bag at the Loches airfield, meaning he was flying without his primary navigation aid.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the accident was the inability to detect the power line due to extremely low light conditions. The pilot was flying approximately fifteen minutes after the start of aeronautical night.
Contributing factors included:
- The lack of a navigation tablet, which may have led to the pilot becoming disoriented and attempting to land in a field to regain his bearings.
- The decision to continue flying after sunset, despite the pilot's established habit of avoiding night flight.
- The presence of mist and the rapid onset of darkness, which further degraded visibility.