What happened
On October 12, 2004, a KP-2UR micro light aircraft, registration PH-3R2, departed from Lelystad airfield for a local flight. The pilot had notified Lelystad Radio of his intention to perform a circuit pattern. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude over a wooded area northwest of the airfield, outside the established traffic pattern.
During this period, onlookers reported hearing the engine sputter irregularly before it ceased functioning entirely. Following the engine failure, the aircraft entered a steep descent and a right-hand turn, eventually impacting a heavily vegetated area. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and the deaths of both occupants.
The investigation
Due to the aircraft's classification as a Micro Light Aircraft, which does not follow international airworthiness certification standards, the investigation by the Dutch Safety Board was limited in scope. Investigators examined the wreckage and found the landing gear and flaps in the retracted position. Analysis of the propeller blades and witness accounts suggested the propeller was stationary at the moment of impact. While the propeller featured a variable-pitch mechanism, the damage to the mechanism was too severe to determine the exact pitch setting at the time of the crash.
Mechanical inspections of the engine and carburetor yielded no evidence of fuel contamination or mechanical failure that could explain the shutdown. Furthermore, the air intake design made carburetor icing highly unlikely. Autopsies of the two occupants revealed no medical conditions that would have impaired the pilot's ability to fly.
Investigators also performed a weight and balance reconstruction. Based on fuel consumption records, it was estimated that approximately 41 liters of fuel remained in the tanks at the time of the accident. However, the investigation determined that the aircraft's total weight was approximately 490 kg, which exceeded the maximum takeoff weight of 450 kg by roughly 40 kg.
Findings
- The accident was likely initiated by an engine failure at a low altitude.
- The aircraft was overweight by approximately 8% at the time of departure.
- The pilot did not utilize the wing flaps during the emergency descent, which, combined with the excessive weight, likely increased the stall speed and contributed to the aircraft dropping over the right wing during the attempted emergency landing.