What happened
On July 9, 2001, at 19:30, a Top Concept Hurricane ultralight, identified as 47-EO, was involved in an accident during a local flight at Saint-Capraise-d’Eymet. The pilot had received permission from a landowner to use a field for a local airshow and had previously scouted the site on foot. The landing area was bordered by a wooded area with trees approximately twelve meters high and a telephone line positioned roughly eight meters above the ground.
During the initial approach, the pilot determined the aircraft was too high and initiated a go-around, successfully clearing the trees and the telephone line. On the second approach, the pilot maintained a high airspeed over the threshold. Believing the upward slope of the terrain would sufficiently shorten the landing roll, the pilot continued the descent. However, realizing the remaining runway length was insufficient for a safe landing, the pilot attempted a second go-around. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck the telephone line and subsequently hit the trees before crashing on the ground.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making process and the flight parameters during the final approach. Investigators examined the site conditions, noting calm winds, CAVOK weather, and a temperature of 23 °C. The analysis centered on the sequence of the two go-around attempts and the aircraft's speed relative to the available landing distance.