What happened
On November 6, 1998, at approximately 17:00, a private pilot was conducting a demonstration flight of an Espace Liberté Country ultralight (identified as 68ADW) for a potential buyer at Rouen aerodrome. During the flight, the pilot initiated a steep climb. At an altitude of approximately 20 meters, the aircraft experienced a loss of control. The aircraft struck the runway with significant force and bounced. Following this impact, the pilot was unable to reduce engine power to idle. The aircraft then fell heavily into the grass adjacent to the runway, where it performed a ground loop before coming to a halt. The pilot successfully shut down the engine, closed the fuel valve, and evacuated the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft following the initial impact and the pilot's recovery attempts. Investigators determined that the first impact with the runway caused extensive damage to the engine mounts, equipment, and control linkages. This damage specifically rendered the throttle control ineffective, preventing the engine from returning to idle. The pilot reported that in an attempt to regain control of the aircraft during the descent, they applied rudder and stick inputs in the direction opposite to the aircraft's rotation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was maneuvering at an insufficient airspeed.
- The initial impact with the runway caused mechanical damage to the engine controls, specifically disabling the ability to control engine power.
- The aircraft, an Espace Liberté Country, was destroyed in the accident.