What happened
On August 29, 2008, at approximately 16:15, an Ekolot KR 030 Topaz ultralight, registration 49-RJ, was conducting a local flight departing from Saumur aerodrome. The pilot, who had approximately 300 total flight hours, was performing a series of maneuvers near his residence. Following takeoff, the aircraft performed a wide, nearly circular pattern at an altitude of roughly 800 feet, with ground speeds decreasing from 150 km/h to 107 km/h.
The flight sequence continued with a tighter 360-degree turn, reducing speed to 84 km/h. The aircraft then proceeded toward a relative's home at 800 feet. While over the residence, the pilot executed a left-hand 360-degree turn at a lower altitude of approximately 500 feet. As the aircraft attempted to level out at the conclusion of this turn, it experienced a heavy left bank and entered a nose-down spin. Although the pilot gripped the emergency parachute deployment handle, the parachute did not deploy until only a few meters above the ground. The aircraft ultimately impacted a vineyard in a flat attitude, resulting in one fatality and one minor injury.
The investigation
Investigators reconstructed the flight path using GPS data from the first eight minutes of the flight and witness testimonies. The wreckage examination revealed no mechanical failures or technical anomalies that could have caused the accident; notably, the flaps were retracted at the time of impact.
Analysis of the aircraft's performance indicated that the stall speed—which increases with bank angle—was likely reached during the final 360-degree turn. The investigation also noted that the aircraft was not equipped with a stall warning system. Furthermore, while the pilot grasped the parachute release handle immediately upon the onset of the descent, there was a delay in the actual activation of the system.