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Casualties unknown

Ultralight collision with high-voltage power lines in France (32GV)

Arvieu, FR

On June 24, 2018, a l’ULM Skyranger Rotax 912 UL (registration 32GV) was involved in an aviation accident near Arvieu, FR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to conduct a simulated engine failure maneuver at an altitude too low to safely recover from an obstacle, combined with the difficulty of spotting the high-voltage lines, led to the fatal collision. This summary draws on records from the French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA).

Sourcesthe French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA)Primary reportUpdated 1787476421Data APIEditorial standards

A Skyranger Rotax 912 UL ultralight crashed into high-voltage power lines during a simulated engine-out exercise, resulting in two fatalities.

What happened

On June 24, 2018, a Skyranger Rotax 912 UL ultralight, identified by the number 32GV, departed from the Cassagnes-Bégonhès aerodrome in France for a local flight. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and one passenger. During the flight, the pilot initiated a descent that stabilized on a north-east heading.

Data from the aircraft's Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) indicates that approximately two minutes before the impact, the engine RPM dropped from a cruise setting of 4,50 and the fuel flow decreased, signaling a reduction in power. In the final seconds of the flight, the pilot increased power in an attempt to execute a go-around. However, at an altitude of approximately 60 feet, the aircraft struck the lower cable of a 225 kV high-voltage power line. The impact caused the aircraft to flip onto its back and crash into a field, resulting in two fatalities.

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to conduct a simulated engine failure maneuver at an altitude too low to safely recover from an obstacle, combined with the difficulty of spotting the high-voltage lines, led to the fatal collision.

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