What happened
On May 2, 2004, at approximately 10:15 AM, an Aéronautique Système Hurrican ultralight, identified as 33-FF, crashed near the Libourne aerodrome in Les Artigues-de-Lussac, France. The aircraft was engaged in a training flight involving an instructor and a student pilot.
Following approximately forty-five minutes of low-altitude engine failure simulations, the aircraft departed from runway 04. An eyewitness on the ground observed the aircraft at a very low altitude while it was transitioning into the downwind leg of the circuit. During this descent, a reduction in engine RPM was heard. The aircraft subsequently struck trees located along a path bordered by vineyards and woodland.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the accident site, noting that the impact occurred at a 45-degree angle, after which the aircraft slid approximately ten meters. The examination of the Aéronautique Système Hurrican revealed no structural defects or malfunctions in the flight controls. The Rotax 582 engine was found to be functional at the time of impact, though it was delivering little to no power. There was sufficient fuel remaining in the tanks to rule out fuel starvation.
The aircraft was within its permitted weight and balance limits. Witnesses at the aerodrome reported that the aircraft had been performing engine failure simulations normally for the thirty minutes preceding the accident. No communications were heard on the local information frequency during the final moments of the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the decision to perform a rapid succession of engine failure simulations at a low altitude.
- The instructor had implemented a technique to save time by interrupting exercises before full touchdown, using go-arounds to initiate subsequent simulations. This led to the aircraft being in a descending state at a critically low altitude during the final maneuver.