What happened
On 19 June 2020, a JMB Aircraft VL-3-A microlight, identified as 59DUJ, was conducting a cross-country flight toward Figeac-Livernon. The pilot and passenger had previously postponed the flight due to poor weather, and on the day of the accident, the pilot intended to fly above a cloud layer.
While navigating near the Abbeville VOR, the pilot requested clearance to climb to avoid clouds, eventually reaching FL 080. To avoid a cloud front on his right, the pilot executed a left turn, which inadvertently brought the aircraft into the Class A airspace of the Paris Terminal Manuscrip Area (TMA) 7. During this period, the pilot was also managing a transponder error that delayed radar detection by the Paris Information Flight Information Centre (FIC) agent.
As the pilot attempted to descend and maneuver to exit the restricted airspace, the aircraft entered a steep left turn with a bank angle of 49 degrees. At an airspeed of 73 knots, the aircraft reached its stall angle, resulting in a loss of control. The aircraft struck the ground, and the two fatalities were confirmed. The airframe parachute was not activated prior to impact.
The investigation
The BEA examined the flight sequence, the meteorological conditions, and the coordination between air navigation services. The investigation focused on the pilot's maneuvers to avoid clouds and restricted airspace, the effectiveness of the flight information service, and the reasons why the airframe parachute was not deployed during the descent.
Findings
- The pilot attempted to fly "on top" of the clouds, which led to maneuvers that placed the aircraft in prohibited Class A airspace.
- A transponder code error caused a delay in the radar identification of the aircraft by the Paris FIC agent.
- The pilot performed tight, descending turns to avoid the TMA, which likely led to the aerodynamic stall.
- The pilot did not communicate the specific difficulty of the cloud front to the controller when instructed to turn right.