What happened
On 30 September 2020, a Comco Ikarus C42 C microlight, registration 64ADG, was performing a glider tow operation near the Artzamendi summit in Itxassou, France. The aircraft was towing an Alexander Schleicher ASK21 glider, registration F-CITS, which carried two pilots.
While flying along the slope of the mountain, the microlight pilot encountered a flight of vultures. To avoid the birds, the pilot executed a sudden, unannounced evasive maneuver consisting of a right-hand turn and a descent. Following this, the pilot attempted to pull the aircraft back up. The sudden movement caused the tow cable to slacken and then snap taut, creating jolts between the two aircraft.
As the microlight attempted to return to its original path, it entered a sharp left-hand turn toward the terrain. The glider pilot, reacting to the instability, released the cable and turned in the opposite direction. However, the microlight's leftward bank intensified, leading to a collision with the mountainside. The impact destroyed the microlight, and a fire broke out approximately 30 minutes later. The pilot of the microlight sustained fatal injuries upon impact.
The investigation
The BEA examined the wreckage, which was located approximately 150 meters below the mountain ridge. The investigation utilized FLARM data from the glider to reconstruct the flight path. Investigators also analyzed the towing cable, noting it was slightly less than 50 meters long and lacked a fuse pin.
Technical analysis of the Comco Ikarus C42 C revealed that while the airframe remained intact during the initial impact, the engine was jammed due to the force of the collision. The investigation also reviewed the flight manual for the microlight, which specifies parameters for lateral and vertical deviations and recommends the use of an aeronautical-standard cable.