What happened
On Monday, October 15, 2001, at 18:15, a Quick Silver GT 500 ultralight, identified as 30-IM, was performing local flight maneuvers at the Nîmes Courbessac aerodrome. The aircraft, a tandem multiaxis model, was being operated for private purposes. After completing several circuits, the pilot, who was seated in the rear position, performed a left-hand circuit at a low altitude of approximately 100 feet. Due to the tight nature of the turns required to stay within the airfield boundaries, the pilot then handed control of the aircraft to the passenger to perform a circuit under similar conditions.
During the downwind leg, the pilot, monitoring from the rear, noticed the aircraft had lost approximately 50 feet of altitude. As the aircraft reached the base leg, the pilot determined the aircraft was too low and too close to the runway threshold. To rectify this, the pilot instructed the passenger to alter course to the right while attempting to regain altitude before entering the final turn. The final turn was executed abruptly with a bank angle exceeding 45 degrees at an altitude of less than 60 feet. The aircraft entered a slip, prompting the pilot to intervene on the controls. While the pilot managed to level the wings, the left main landing gear struck the ground with significant force and broke. The aircraft bounced and came to a rest 15 meters from the initial impact point.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of maneuvers during the passenger's circuit and the subsequent intervention by the pilot. Investigators examined the flight path, noting that the tight turns necessitated by the airfield layout contributed to the difficulty of the maneuver. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's actions during the critical phase of the final turn and the communication between the pilot and the passenger.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage during the impact.
- There were two injuries involving the pilot and the passenger.
- The primary cause of the accident was the delayed intervention by the instructor (the pilot in the rear seat) to correct the aircraft's trajectory and altitude.
- The pilot admitted to an excess of confidence regarding the passenger's ability to maintain the circuit, which led to a failure to react sooner to correct the altitude during the downwind leg.
- The pilot also noted that they intervened on the controls during the slip without first notifying the passenger, only requesting assistance to recover the aircraft after the slip had already begun.