What happened
On 30 April 2015, an ELA 07 R100 gyroplane, registration 62-AYF, was performing a training flight at the Lens-Bénifontaine aerodrome in France. The crew, consisting of an instructor and a student pilot, was executing traffic circuits and had just performed a touch-and-go on runway 2D1.
Simultaneously, a parachute school was conducting jumps. A parachutist, descending under a yellow Crossfire 2-109 canopy, was maneuvering through the airspace. Shortly after the gyroplane climbed through the intersection of runways 03/21 and 09/27 at approximately 30 meters, the aircraft collided with the parachute. The impact severed the parachute lines and canopy, causing the parachutist to fall to the ground. The collision also caused significant damage to the gyroplane's tail. While attempting an emergency landing, the gyroplane struck the ground and rolled several times, resulting in two minor injuries to the flight crew and the one fatal injury to the parachutist.
The investigation
The BEA examined the flight paths of both the gyroplane and the parachutist using video analysis from a GoPro camera worn by another member of the jump group. The investigation reviewed the aerodrome's operational procedures, the parachute school's documentation, and the regulatory framework governing simultaneous parachuting and general aviation activities. Investigators also looked into the existence of unapproved landing zones and the lack of standardized arrival paths for parachutists at the aerodrome.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collision was the parachutist following an unusual and conflicting path that deviated from standard landing procedures and intersected with the gyroplane's climb-out path.
- There was a lack of specific instructions for parachutists regarding entry points and flight paths relative to wind conditions and active runways.
- The existence of two different landing zones, one of which was not officially approved, likely caused confusion regarding the intended landing area.
- The yellow color of the parachute canopy made it difficult for the gyroplane pilots to detect the canopy visually.
- There were no clear regulatory procedures for managing the simultaneous use of the airspace by parachutists and other aircraft types.