What happened
On Monday, June 11, 2001, at 15:10, an Aviasud Engineering Mistral ultralight, identified as 31-JE, was performing a local flight at the Toulouse Lasbordes airfield. The aircraft was approaching an unpaved 350-meter runway for landing. During the final approach, the pilot maintained a speed of approximately 60 km/h. As the aircraft reached the flare stage, a gust of wind destabilized the aircraft. In an attempt to compensate, the pilot slightly increased engine power and attempted to re-establish the flare. However, the aircraft entered a stall at a low altitude and struck the ground mid-runway.
There were two persons on board, including the pilot. The pilot, aged 32, had been flying ultralight aircraft since June 2000 and had approximately 80 total flight hours, with 50 hours specifically on this aircraft type. Prior to the accident, the pilot had been practicing short-field landings to prepare for operations on shorter runways, though previous training sessions had been conducted solo.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's flight parameters during the final approach and the impact of meteorological conditions. Investigators noted that the wind at the time was from 330° at 6 knots, with 10 km visibility and a QNH of 1025 hPa. The analysis examined the aircraft's stall speed, which is approximately 60 km/h, and compared it to the pilot's recorded approach speed. The investigation also reviewed the structural damage sustained by the aircraft, which included damage to the left wing, the nose gear, the left main gear, and the propeller.