What happened
On May 14, 2006, at approximately 18:40 local time, a single-seat Volksplan VP1 ultralight, identified by number 33-XS, was performing a local flight at La Réole aerodrome. The aircraft departed from unpaved runway 08 roughly twenty seconds after a weight-shift control ultralight carrying an instructor and a student had taken off for circuit training.
Witnesses on the ground observed the Volksplan VP1 climbing past the threshold of runway 26 at an altitude of approximately 300 feet. During this climb, observers noted fluctuations in the engine RPM. The aircraft appeared to close the distance to the preceding ultralight, which was positioned higher and to the left. The pilot of the Volksplan VP1 maintained a high pitch attitude but remained below the altitude of the lead aircraft.
As the aircraft entered a right-hand turn, it descended toward the aerodrome, passing over a hangar at an altitude of about 15 meters. While the aircraft briefly leveled its wings and climbed to approximately 30 meters, it was flying at a low airspeed. The aircraft subsequently entered a stall, resulting in a high-pitch-down attitude and a steep right bank, leading to a fatal collision with the ground. The impact resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of the Volks_plan VP1 and found no mechanical anomalies that could have caused the accident. Analysis of the propeller showed traces indicating that the engine was delivering low power at the moment of impact. Witnesses suggested the pilot may have been adjusting the engine throttle to maintain separation from the preceding aircraft, though no radio communication between the two aircraft was established.