What happened
On Tuesday, July 8, 1997, at 09:30, an Air Création Safari ultralight, identified as 27-GO, was involved in a ground collision at the L'Aigle aerodrome. The aircraft was being prepared for a local private flight. After starting the engine, the pilot remained standing near the aircraft to assist a passenger with boarding the rear seat. During this process, the passenger inadvertently pushed the throttle lever to the full power position.
Because the aircraft was not secured with chocks and lacked a parking brake, it accelerated forward rapidly. The pilot was unable to restrain the movement, and the ultral'ight struck the rear section of a parked helicopter. The collision resulted in two injuries: the pilot sustained serious injuries caused by contact with the propeller, and the passenger was injured during the impact with the helicopter before they could fasten their seatbelt.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the boarding process and the mechanical state of the aircraft. Investigators established that the pilot's standard procedure involved boarding the passenger before starting the engine. It was also noted that the pilot had not briefed the passenger on specific safety precautions related to the controls of this particular ultralight model. The investigation examined the lack of immobilization measures, such as chocks, and the accessibility of the throttle lever during passenger installation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was inattention during the passenger installation process, specifically the accidental movement of the throttle.
- The aircraft was not immobilized with chocks, and the lack of a parking brake allowed the uncontrolled movement.
- The pilot failed to instruct the passenger on safety measures regarding the aircraft's controls.
- The configuration of the throttle lever made it susceptible to accidental engagement during boarding.