What happened
On 31 August 2019, a pilot operating an Adventure Flexrace 22 (identified 03AHB) was performing a local flight from a private field in Lusigny, Allier. Shortly after departing the takeoff area, the pilot initiated a right turn, during which the aircraft lost control and struck the ground with high energy. The impact occurred in a field adjacent to the takeoff site, near a forested area situated on a hilltop. The collision resulted in one fatality.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and recovered an electronic navigation tablet, which provided flight path data used to reconstruct the aircraft's trajectory. The paramotor chassis was found on its right side with a broken propeller protection cage. Analysis of the propeller blades showed they were broken approximately 20 cm from the root, indicating the engine was producing power at the moment of impact. The fuel tank was punctured during the crash.
Technical inspections of the wing, lines, and controls revealed no mechanical defects or structural failures. The pilot was an experienced flyer with 290 total flight hours, including 196 hours on the specific Flexrace 22 wing. Meteorological data from the time of the accident indicated visibility was good, but the area was experiencing thunderstorm cells, with winds from the west-northwest at 6 to 10 knots and gusts reaching up to 25 knots.
Findings
While the investigation could not definitively establish a single cause for the loss of control, several contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot may have encountered turbulence or downdrafts near the nearby forest, which could have caused the right wingtip to collapse.
- The low altitude at which the loss of control occurred left the pilot with insufficient time or height to recover the wing.
- The windsock, positioned at the takeoff point, was likely too far from the forest edge to alert the pilot to the localized wind fluctuations occurring near the trees.