What happened
On the evening of July 29, 2001, a private flight involving a Zenith Aircraft STOL CH 701 ultralight ended in a fatal accident near Puget-sur-Argens. The pilot departed for the flight at approximately 17:30 local time. During the approach to the local ultralight base, the aircraft performed a low-altitude maneuver to the left of the runway axis. Witnesses observed the aircraft attempting to avoid power lines, which caused the aircraft to pitch up and subsequently stall. The aircraft struck the top of a tree with one of its wings before crashing into a garbage bin.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the stall and the physical condition of the pilot. Investigators established that the pilot had been at a restaurant prior to the flight. While the pilot reported a lack of memory regarding the final approach, a medical examination conducted later that evening revealed a blood alcohol content of 1.92 g/L. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident included visibility of 5 to 6 km, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, and winds from 140 degrees at 14 knots.
Findings
- The aircraft was destroyed in the impact.
- The pilot sustained serious injuries and was found in an altered state of consciousness.
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's impairment due to alcohol consumption, which likely contributed to the loss of control during the low-altitude approach.