What happened
On the evening of July 6, 2003, a Rand Kar X 502 T ultralight, registration 57-RO, was conducting passenger joyflights following a social gathering at the GrosRederching ultralight airfield. Approximately fifteen minutes into the seventh flight of the evening, the pilot noticed a decrease in engine RPM while cruising at an altitude of roughly 500 feet. No other mechanical anomalies were observed at that time.
In response to the engine fluctuation, the pilot decided to perform an emergency landing in a nearby rural area, selecting a section of the D620 departmental road that appeared to have no traffic. During the final approach, the engine ceased operation and the propeller stopped rotating. As the aircraft descended, the nose gear struck a medium-voltage power line running perpendicular to the road, resulting in the breakage of two cables. The aircraft subsequently crashed onto the roadway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the pilot's physiological condition. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the engine was still producing power at the moment of impact, and subsequent technical expertise of the engine revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions. The pilot reported that the electrical lines were not detected during the approach.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the collision with an electrical power line due to the failure to detect the obstacle during the landing.
- A significant contributing factor was the pilot's decision to operate the aircraft while in an altered state of consciousness, as blood tests conducted approximately two hours after the accident revealed a blood alcohol content of 1.77 g/L.
- The accident resulted in one injury to the pilot and caused heavy damage to the aircraft.