What happened
On 19 June 2022, a Skyranger 95B microlight, identified as 63ASS, was performing a cross-country flight when it crashed shortly after departing from the paved runway 07 at Égletons aerodrome. The pilot had made an unplanned stop at the airfield to refuel due to unexpected headwinds encountered during the flight.
Following rotation, the aircraft began to oscillate in the roll axis. As the pilot increased the aircraft's attitude to climb, the microlight turned to the left and entered a stall. This led to a full spin, resulting in a high-energy, nose-down impact with the ground behind a line of trees approximately 100 meters from the runway. The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
Investigators analyzed wreckage, security camera footage, and GPS data from the aircraft's onboard systems. The wreckage examination revealed that the flight control linkages were intact prior to impact, and the electric flaps were found in the retracted position. The aircraft's emergency parachute was present but had not been deployed.
Analysis of security camera footage and the aircraft's GPSMAP 60GSx provided a reconstruction of the flight path. The data indicated that while the windsock near the parking area showed little to no wind during the initial moments of the takeoff roll, a right-hand tailwind component developed as the aircraft climbed. This was consistent with the aerodrome's VAC chart, which warns of potential downdrafts and turbulence in the climb-out area during southerly winds.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the loss of control during the takeoff phase:
- The aircraft was operated in a take-off configuration without flaps, which inherently increases the stall speed.
- The pilot's attempt to increase speed during the climb was likely insufficient to compensate for the atmospheric conditions.
- The presence of a tailwind and the potential for turbulence or downdrafts, characteristic of the aerodrome's terrain during southerly winds, likely destabilized the aircraft during the transition to a climb.