What happened
On October 2, 2013, an instructor and a student were conducting a training flight in a FK9 ultralight, registration 64-SH, near the Itxaxou aerodrome in France. The flight began at Biarritz, where the crew performed maneuvers before proceeding to Itxassou for specific training exercises. The student was tasked with performing an engine failure simulation and a series of S-turns (PTS) to land on runway 08.
During the final left-hand turn of the S-turn sequence, the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 15 meters. At this low height, the student suddenly lost control of the aircraft, causing it to strike the ground flat about 10 meters before the runway threshold. The impact caused the landing gear to fail, and the aircraft slid on its belly before performing a ground loop. The aircraft was heavily damaged.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight dynamics during the maneuver and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The instructor noted that the airspeed of 110 km/h was correct just prior to the loss of control. While the instructor attempted to intervene by taking control, the altitude was too low to prevent the collision.
Meteorological data from Météo-France indicated light, variable winds of 2 to 3 knots. However, investigators noted that a southern wind was in the process of establishing itself over the local terrain, suggesting the possibility of a sudden gust or downburst affecting the aircraft during the maneuver.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was executing the final turn at an insufficient altitude.
- The low altitude left no margin for error or for recovering the aircraft in the event of unexpected aerodynamic phenomena.
- The instructor's experience included 1,500 total flight hours, while the student had approximately 80 hours of flight time.