What happened
On May 14, 2011, at 11:45 local time, a Wassmer Jodel D112, registration F-BKCF, was performing introductory flights for members of a works committee at a private aerodrome in Mouy, France. The pilot was operating the aircraft with a passenger on board, departing from unpaved runway 24.
According to an eyewitness, an experienced pilot and instructor, the aircraft failed to gain altitude after takeoff, maintaining a height of approximately 10 meters. The aircraft then banked to the left and disappeared below the level of a nearby field. The wreckage was subsequently located in a clearing near the runway. The accident resulted in two injuries (the pilot and the passenger) and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's flight experience and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. While the pilot held a PPL, his recent flight activity was very low, with only five hours of flight time recorded in the twelve months preceding the event. Notably, only three hours of his total 164 flight hours were performed in taildragger-type aircraft, and there was no documented evidence of a specific competency check for such aircraft in his logbook.
Meteorological data from the nearby Beauvais aerodrome indicated visibility of over 10 km and scattered clouds. However, winds were recorded from 340° at 10 to 19 knots. The demonstrated maximum crosswind component for the Jodel D112 is 15 knots, meaning the conditions at the time of the accident exceeded the aircraft's certified limits.
Findings
Investigators determined that following takeoff, the aircraft was likely operating in the second power regime at a high angle of attack, with maximum power and low airspeed. The investigation established that the failure to account for the crosswind and inappropriate control inputs led to the stall. Contributing factors included the pilot's limited experience with taildragger aircraft and insufficient flight training within the year preceding the accident.