History of the Flight
The pilot, the sole occupant, took off from runway 24 at Berck-sur-Mer aerodrome for a local flight. Witnesses observed the canopy open shortly after rotation. The microlight exhibited nose-down and nose-up attitude variations before stabilizing in level flight. It then entered a left turn with increasing bank angle. The pilot lost control, and the microlight collided with the ground approximately 710 m from the runway threshold and 190 m left of the centerline, opposite the hangars.
Examination of the Canopy
The canopy, which tilts forward on two pins and is held open by push-up damper-actuators, was examined. The locking handle on the rear arch was found not in the closed position. The canopy had separated from its front fastenings on impact, with the damper-actuators torn off. The locking pin was undamaged, confirming the canopy was not locked during flight.
Pilot Information
The 68-year-old pilot owned the microlight and held a microlight pilot license since May 2004. A witness reported the pilot had logged about 200 flight hours; another noted he had not flown for approximately two months.
Meteorological Information
At 17:00, the Le Touquet Côte d'Opale airport METAR reported wind from 330° at 13 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, and few clouds at 4,100 ft.
Video Footage Analysis
Surveillance camera images reconstructed part of the flight path. During take-off at about 20 m height, the microlight adopted nose-down then nose-up attitudes before leveling off. A second camera recorded the last seconds before impact, showing the canopy open with a moderate nose-down attitude and left bank.
Manufacturer Actions
On 2 April 2012, the manufacturer issued Service Bulletin EV97-018a recommending an emergency procedure for canopy opening, emphasizing pre-flight lock checks and control measures. On 16 June 2014, Bulletin EV97-027a SR required modification of locking systems for composite frame canopies; the accident microlight had a metal frame canopy and was not affected. After the accident, on 24 November 2015, Bulletin EV97-033a SR requested adding a mechanical catch to metal frame canopies to prevent full opening.