What happened
On 15 August 2020, an AVIAKIT Vega 912 T microlight, identified as 84FK, was conducting a cross-country flight from Saint-Drézéry to Villefrennche-de-Panat. During the flight, the pilot intended to perform a low-altitude flyover of the Saint-Martin-de-Londres aerodrome, a location with which the pilot was familiar through glider operations.
While flying at a height estimated between 5 and 15 meters, the aircraft's right wing struck a tree located between a hangar and the tree line. The impact caused a section of the wing to break off. Following the collision, the aircraft initially climbed and maintained a nose-up attitude. However, as the pilot attempted a right turn—likely in an effort to land on runway 12—the aircraft entered a steep bank and a near-vertical spin. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground near the threshold of runway 12 and caught fire. The two fatalities on board were the pilot and a passenger.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, meteorological conditions, and witness accounts. Investigators found debris from the wing, including fabric marked with the registration, approximately 15 meters from the tree. A branch on the tree was found broken at a height of roughly 10 meters.
Meteorological conditions at the time were stable, characterized by CAVOK conditions and light winds. Radar data confirmed the aircraft's path prior to the maneuver, though the specific low-altitude maneuvers near the aerodrome were outside radar coverage. Witnesses on the ground noted that the engine sound appeared normal, suggesting no immediate loss of power preceded the collision. The investigation could not definitively determine which occupant was in control of the aircraft at the moment of impact.