What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on null involved a aircraft, registration CX-JLI-X, at UY.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft entered a stall due to an excessive angle of attack during takeoff, compounded by the pilot's lack of experience with this specific ultralight model and its conventional gear configuration.

Ultralight Aircraft Stall Leads to Severe Crash in Canelones

A Minimax Vw 1550 ultralight aircraft crashed during takeoff at Canelones Aerodrome, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot and the destruction of the aircraft.

What happened

On February 3, 2018, at approximately 09:30 local time, a Minimax Vw 1550 ultralight aircraft, registration CX-JLI-X, was performing takeoff maneuvers at the Canelones Aerodrome in Uruguay. After a takeoff roll of approximately 150 meters, the aircraft lifted off and maintained an altitude of 5 to 6 meters. The aircraft then entered an extremely steep nose-up attitude of approximately 45 degrees.

Witnesses on the ground, including the aircraft owner, observed the steep climb and attempted to warn the pilot via radio that the aircraft was losing airspeed. Despite these warnings, the aircraft reached an altitude of 60 to 70 meters before losing lift and banking sharply to the left. The aircraft subsequently plummeted and impacted the ground violently near the head of runway 21. The impact caused the destruction of the aircraft, including significant damage to the fuselage, wings, landing gear, engine, and propeller. The pilot sustained serious injuries and was evacuated by helicopter to a medical center in Montevideo.

The investigation

The CIAIA investigation established that the aircraft was operating under an experimental category and was authorized for flight testing in the vicinity of the aerodrome. The investigation reviewed the aircraft's history, noting that the owner had rebuilt the aircraft following a previous ground incident involving a perimeter fence just one week prior.

Investigators examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, confirming that flight controls were intact and that the weight and balance were within normal operating limits. Meteorological data and satellite imagery confirmed that weather conditions were optimal for VFR flight, with good visibility and no significant weather phenomena that could have contributed to the accident. The investigation also noted that the engine was at full power at the moment of impact, as evidenced by the propeller failure.

Findings

The primary cause of the accident was an aerodynamic stall resulting from an excessive angle of attack during the takeoff climb.
The pilot had limited experience operating this specific model of ultralight aircraft and the conventional landing gear configuration.
The aircraft was operating within its authorized parameters, and no mechanical failures or weather-related factors were identified as contributing to the loss of control.