What happened
On Tuesday, August 17, 1999, at 20:50, an Ultralair Weedhopper JC 24 Europa 1 ultralight aircraft was involved in an accident near Bozouls, France. The flight was a solo instructional session. Following two successful circuits in a dual-control aircraft, an instructor authorized the trainee pilot to perform his first solo flight, providing specific briefing on the flight characteristics of the single-seat aircraft.
Upon takeoff, the instructor, observing from the ground, noted the aircraft departed with a leftward tilt and struggled to maintain a climb rate despite gaining excessive speed. The pilot completed one circuit but was unable to stabilize the approach, necessitating a go-around. After a second circuit, the pilot attempted another approach, which also remained unstable. Following a second go-around, the pilot identified a nearby field and decided to perform an emergency landing. During the final approach, the pilot pitched the nose up to avoid a high-voltage power line that had gone undetected. Consequently, the aircraft struck the ground on its nose wheel and came to a halt against a pylon, resulting in heavy damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the unstable approaches and the decision-making process leading to the field landing. Investigators examined the meteorological conditions, which were reported as having visibility greater than 10 km, winds from 330° at 6 knots, and scattered clouds at 1,800 feet. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience level and the transition from a dual-control aircraft to the single-seat model.
Findings
- The pilot experienced a state of panic following the second failed landing attempt.
- The pilot's performance was likely hindered by a lack of familiarity with the specific flight characteristics of the single-seat aircraft compared to the dual-control model used previously.
- An undetected high-voltage power line forced a sudden maneuvering input during the final approach.