What happened
On the morning of August 14, 2007, a single-seat Murphy Aviation Renegade Spirit ultralight, identified as 69-RQ, departed from a private airfield in Lentilly for a flight toward Ambert. During the flight, the pilot encountered mist in the valleys near Montbrison. Unable to identify specific landmarks or determine an exact position, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing in a field to wait for better weather conditions.
While maneuvering for the landing, the aircraft's left wing struck a tree during the final turn. The ultralight subsequently came to rest in a wooded area near the locality of La Fournerie, south of Ambert. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and survived the impact, though the aircraft sustained significant damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making process and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators examined the pilot's preparation for the flight, noting that the pilot had relied solely on weather forecasts from a television news program from the previous evening and had not sought additional meteorological information before departure.
Furthermore, the investigation looked into the pilot's use of navigation equipment. It was established that the pilot was unfamiliar with the operation of the onboard GPS because the user manual was written in English. The investigation also considered the visibility constraints caused by the biplane configuration of the aircraft, which hindered the pilot's ability to spot obstacles during the landing approach.