What happened
On May 31, 2012, a Skyranger ultralight (ULM) with identification 30-ME was performing circuit training at the Nîmes Courbessac aerodrome. During the ninth circuit, while on the base leg, the instructor observed that the student pilot was flying too high and at an excessive speed. After several unheeded verbal corrections, the instructor abruptly moved the throttle to the idle position and pitched the aircraft up to reduce speed. This sudden reduction in power caused the engine to stop.
Believing the engine would restart easily, the instructor did not immediately address the failure and instead instructed the student to treat the situation as an engine-out exercise. The instructor believed the aircraft could still reach the runway without power. However, the student failed to sufficiently correct for wind drift, causing the aircraft to drift off the approach path. The instructor then took control and attempted several unsuccessful restarts. While searching for a suitable landing area, the instructor deployed the flaps to the second setting and banked the aircraft sharply to the right, which induced an asymmetric stall. Although the instructor managed to recover control, the aircraft landed approximately 150 meters short of the 36L runway threshold in a storage area. During the landing roll, the right wing struck a building, causing heavy damage to both the aircraft and the structure.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events following the engine stoppage and the subsequent flight maneuvers. Investigators examined the instructor's decision-making process regarding the engine failure and the student's handling of the wind drift. The investigation also reviewed the flight profiles during the stall recovery and the impact with the obstacle.