What happened
On the afternoon of 17 November 2007, a private Apollo Fox ultralight aircraft, registration 59-CTC, departed from Maubeuge airport (LFQJ) for a local flight intended to visit Condé-sur-Escaut. During the flight, the pilot became disoriented and lost their way while flying over Belgian airspace. As dusk approached, the pilot determined that a field landing was necessary to avoid flying in low-visibility conditions.
The pilot identified a relatively flat field in Dergneau, approximately 27km south-southeast of EBKT, to execute the landing. During the landing roll, the aircraft struck a separation fence, which caused the aircraft to roll upside down. The impact resulted in damage to the wing, the propeller, and the nose landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances leading to the pilot's loss of orientation and the subsequent landing execution. Investigators examined the timing of the flight, noting that the departure occurred late in the afternoon, which significantly limited the pilot's options once the aircraft became lost. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flight experience, noting a total of 188 flight hours, with only 68 hours in ULM aircraft and 17 hours specifically on the Apollo Fox model. Furthermore, the pilot had only 16 hours of flight time recorded within the preceding six months.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the impact with a separation fence that was not detected during the pilot's reconnaissance of the landing site.
- The timing of the flight departure left the pilot with no viable alternatives other than a field landing once they became lost.
- Poor visibility during the onset of dusk contributed to the pilot's failure to notice the fence during the approach to the field.
- The pilot's limited recent experience and low number of hours on this specific aircraft type were identified as contributing factors.