What happened
On Saturday, February 7, at 11:00, a Rans S 6 ES Coyotte (registration F-WRXA) was engaged in a local flight near Le Muy, France. During the cruise phase of the flight, the Rotax 912 UL engine experienced misfires and subsequently stopped. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful, leading to an emergency landing in a nearby field. The aircraft sustained no damage during this initial landing.
Following the landing, the pilot checked the fuel levels and purged the fuel system. A second restart attempt was successful, and the pilot confirmed the engine was functioning normally via RPM and magneto tests. The pilot then decided to resume the flight using an improvised takeoff strip on a large, flat, uncultivated field. The pilot selected a dirt track as the runway, estimating it had approximately 200 meters of usable length before reaching a group of trees.
During the takeoff roll, approximately 30 meters after the start of the acceleration, the aircraft encountered a speed bump. The aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear the trees at the end of the path, resulting in a collision with a tree. The aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
Investigators examined the takeoff conditions and the improvised runway. They determined that the actual usable length of the chosen takeoff strip was only 112 meters, significantly shorter than the pilot's estimate. The investigation also revealed that the pilot had failed to notice the presence of the speed bump when evaluating the runway, which disrupted the aircraft's acceleration. Furthermore, the takeoff was performed without prior authorization and with the flaps retracted, despite the procedure for short takeoffs recommending a 43° flap setting.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the insufficient consideration of takeoff parameters.
- The pilot underestimated the available runway length, which was only 112 meters.
- The presence of an unnoticed speed bump hindered the aircraft's acceleration.
- The takeoff was conducted without the recommended flap configuration for short-field operations.
- The takeoff was performed without obtaining the necessary prior authorization.