What happened
On December 7, 2017, a Tecnam P9 .96 Golf ultralight, registration 988HA, departed Nakutakoin for a flight to the Isle of Pines. The pilot was accompanied by one passenger. The aircraft was part of a group of four ultralights traveling together for a social outing.
During the flight, the pilot communicated with air traffic controllers, initially climbing to 4,500 ft and later 6,500 ft. As the group progressed, the weather began to deteriorate significantly. The pilot of another aircraft in the group, 988FX, reported turning back due to weather at 09:45. Shortly after, the pilot of 988HZ also announced a return to base. At 09:49, the pilot of 988HA reported that they were also initiating a turnaround because the cloud layer was becoming increasingly thick.
At 09:57, the pilot of 988HA requested to climb to 7,500 ft while passing Nouaré. This was the final transmission from the aircraft. Following the loss of contact, an alert was triggered. Subsequent searches recovered interior trim from the aircraft in the sea south of Magenta, and a structural piece washed up on the coast of Ouen Island. The damage to these components indicated a violent impact with the water surface. The pilot and passenger both died in the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight paths of the four ultralights and the meteorological conditions present that morning. Investigators reviewed weather data from Aeroweb, including METAR and TAF reports, as well as TEMSI charts. It was noted that while the pilot of 988HZ had consulted weather information the previous evening, no weather updates were recorded for the morning of the flight by the group's identifiers.
Witness statements from the other pilots indicated that the group relied on shared information from the morning of the flight, which suggested favorable conditions. However, actual meteorological data showed a degradation in visibility and cloud ceilings starting from 05:00 local time, with the presence of convective clouds (cumulus congestus) and a lowering cloud base.
Findings
- The group of pilots likely underestimated the deteriorating weather conditions or failed to update their knowledge with the most recent meteorological reports.
- The flight was undertaken in conditions where visual flight rules (VFR) could no longer be safely maintained.
- As the weather worsened, three of the four pilots successfully turned back, but the pilot of 988HA attempted the turnaround last, during a period of significant weather degradation.
- It is probable that the pilot of 988HA lost control of the aircraft while flying within the clouds, leading to the fatal collision with the water.