Circumstances
On Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 20:15 local time, a Piper J3 Cub registered as F-BGXC departed from Cambrai Niergnies aerodrome (59) for a local flight at an altitude of 500 feet. The pilot was accompanied by a passenger. After approximately fifteen minutes of flight, the pilot performed a rapid descent in a right turn to gain speed and initiate a very low-altitude flight. The aircraft's wheels contacted crops in a wheat field approximately 50 cm high, causing a sudden deceleration. The pilot applied power, but the speed decreased rapidly. He then executed a landing in the field. About 60 meters after touchdown, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot license since 2001 and a commercial pilot license since 2009. He had served as a military pilot. His total flight experience was approximately 800 hours, including about 470 hours in military operations and about 330 hours on civil aircraft.
Conclusion
The accident was due to the pilot's decision to perform a low-altitude maneuver incompatible with maintaining safety margins regarding terrain clearance.