What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2008-10-01 involved a aircraft, at Conséquences, FR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The collision was caused by a failure of the pilots to maintain proper vigilance in uncontrolled airspace, exacerbated by difficult lighting conditions, a lack of shared flight intentions, and the absence of radio communication on one of the aircraft.

Mid-air collision between two ultralights near Montélimar

A mid-air collision between a Magni M22 gyrocopter and an Optimum weight-shift microlight resulted in one fatality near Montélimar, France.

What happened

On the evening of October 1, 2008, two ultralight aircraft departed from the unpaved runway of the Montélimar aerodrome. The first to depart was an Optimum weight-shift microlight, registration 26-TV, followed a few minutes later by a Magni M22 gyrocopter, registration 26-XF.

Witnesses observed both aircraft flying southwest of the airfield, positioned on either side of the Rhône Canal on parallel southbound trajectories. Due to the low angle of the sun, the pilot of the microlight likely faced visibility challenges regarding the gyrocopter, which was positioned to the west. GPS data from the Magni M22 indicates that at 18:06:43, the gyrocopter turned left to a heading of 150°, crossing the canal. As both aircraft maintained an altitude of 1,500 feet, their flight paths became convergent.

At 18:06:57, the two aircraft collided. Following the impact, the microlight entered a spin and struck the ground with significant force, resulting in one fatality. The gyrocopter was able to return to the Montélimar aerodrome and land safely, though it sustained light damage. Post-accident wreckage analysis revealed that the gyrocopter's main rotor struck the rear section of the microlight's left wing spar, suggesting the Magni M22 likely passed beneath the microlight before the collision.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the flight paths, visibility conditions, and communication between the two pilots. It was established that the pilots had spoken briefly before takeoff, during which the gyrocopter pilot offered to fly with the microlight pilot, who declined. However, the pilots had not shared their specific flight intentions during this exchange.

Investigators noted that the microlight was not equipped with a VHF radio. While the pilot had been carrying a camera, the memory card could not be recovered to determine if photography was being performed immediately prior to the impact. Meteorological conditions at the time were CAVOK with light, variable winds.

Findings

The primary cause of the accident was a lack of pilot vigilance while operating in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) within uncontrolled airspace.
Contributing factors included poor lighting conditions caused by the low sun.
A lack of mutual information regarding flight intentions prior to departure.
The absence of radio communication equipment on the 26-TV microlight.