What happened
On 30 January 2022, an Allegro SW 912 microlight, identified as 67ZL, was performing a local runway circuit at Sedan-Doulam aerodrome. While the pilot was on the downwind leg for runway 26, another microlight was backtracking on the runway to vacate via a taxiway. The instructor of the second aircraft radioed the pilot of 67ZL to advise him not to land due to the runway occupancy, but the pilot did not respond to this instruction.
As the aircraft proceeded to the base leg, witnesses and the nearby instructor observed the microlight flying at a low altitude and low airspeed. The aircraft performed a series of turns, banking steeply to the left. At an estimated altitude of 100 meters, the left wing of the Allegro SW 912 stalled, causing the aircraft to pitch down abruptly. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 800 meters before the threshold of runway 26 and subsequently caught fire. The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, the flight path, and statements from witnesses, including car drivers and hunters in the vicinity. The wreckage was found in an uncultivated field, with the engine embedded in the ground and the aircraft oriented westwards. The examination of the wreckage, though limited by the extent of the damage, revealed no mechanical anomalies prior to the impact. The airframe parachute had not been deployed. Meteorological conditions at the time were favorable, with good visibility and light winds.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident, primarily centered on the loss of control during the landing maneuver:
- The pilot's decision to continue onto the base leg despite the presence of another aircraft backtracking on the runway.
- The pilot likely being unsettled by the presence of the other microlight on the runway.
- The aircraft stalling due to turning at a low height and likely at a low airspeed during the base leg.