What happened
On September 9, 2007, at approximately 18:15, a Synairgie Sky Ranger ultralight, registration 25-NQ, was performing local circuit patterns at the Besançon Thise airfield. During the fourth approach, witnesses observed the aircraft flying below the standard glide slope with a nose-up attitude. Approximately 100 meters before the threshold of the unpaved runway 07L, the aircraft suddenly pitched downward and struck the ground at a 45-degree nose-down angle. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft was heavily damaged.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the pilot's control inputs during the final moments of flight. The pilot stated that he had attempted to initiate a go-around during the approach. A physical examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies or technical failures that could have contributed to the impact.
Investigators examined the cockpit ergonomics, noting that the Sky Ranger features a centralized throttle control located between the two seats. This configuration requires a left-seat pilot to operate the control stick with the left hand and the throttle with the right hand. In contrast, the pilot's previous training was on a Guépy 582, which utilizes dual throttles located on either side of the seats, requiring the left-seat pilot to use the right hand for the stick and the left hand for the throttle.
Findings
- The pilot had relatively limited experience on this specific aircraft type, with only two hours of flight time on the Sky Ranger and 1.5 hours completed on the day of the accident.
- The primary cause of the accident was confused control inputs during the go-around attempt.
- The pilot was likely disoriented by the differing ergonomic layouts between the Sky Ranger and his previous training aircraft, leading to improper hand placement and control actions during a critical phase of flight.