What happened
On the morning of September 17, 2013, two ultralight aircraft operated by a local company departed from the Cambaie airfield in Réunion for scheduled tourist flights. The first aircraft, a Courrier Rans S7 with registration 974-EQ, departed at 7:30 AM carrying a pilot and one passenger. The flight was intended to follow a standard sightseeing circuit over the island's landmarks, including the Piton de la Fournaise.
During the flight, the pilot of the first aircraft encountered turbulence and downdrafts near the mountain passes. While in radio contact with the pilot of a second aircraft, the two pilots agreed to rendezvous near the volcano. However, the pilot of the 974-EQ failed to reach the rendezvous point and subsequently disappeared from radio contact. An alert was raised approximately twenty minutes after the aircraft's scheduled return time. The wreckage was later discovered approximately 60 meters below a ridge line near the Piton Mazerin at an altitude of roughly 6,650 feet.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage and the flight conditions. Analysis of the site indicated that the aircraft likely struck vegetation with its left wing before impacting a rock face. The engine was found to be delivering power at the time of the crash.
Investigators also reviewed meteorological data and passenger documentation. While the flight was documented as an instructional flight, the aircraft was not equipped with dual controls, and the pilot was not a certified instructor. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the company's operational practices, noting that the flight was part of a paid tourist service that bypassed certain regulatory requirements by being labeled as instruction.
Findings
- Adverse weather: An easterly wind was creating significant turbulence and downdrafts on the western slopes of the Mafate and Salazie cirques. A layer of stratus clouds, approximately 1,500 feet thick, covered the Mazerin plateau and obscured the terrain.
- Flight path deviation: Although the flight plan required the pilot to deviate westward to gain sufficient altitude to clear the Mazerin peak, photographic evidence from the passenger's camera showed the aircraft flying directly toward the terrain under misty conditions.
- Operational irregularities: The company utilized a practice of labeling tourist flights as instructional flights to avoid the regulatory constraints and costs associated with Air Operator Certificates (AOC) for commercial passenger transport.
- Pilot decision-making: The pilot's significant experience and familiarity with the local geography may have led to overconfidence, prompting the decision to continue the flight despite deteriorating visibility and weather conditions.