What happened
On the evening of April 28, 2007, a pilot was operating an amateur-built Jodel D 18, registration F-PICO, on a local flight at Maren and aerodrome. The pilot had recently purchased the aircraft and had begun flying it solo only a few days prior. During the second circuit of the afternoon, while performing left-hand approaches, the aircraft was observed by other pilots to be in a steep left bank, well below the standard glide path. The aircraft then abruptly entered a full right-hand spin, impacting the ground approximately 700 meters from the runway threshold and catching fire. The accident resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's recent flight experience and the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft during the final approach. Investigators noted that while the pilot had significant experience in a Jodel D 112, he had only accumulated approximately five hours of flight time in the Jodel D 18, with only four of those hours performed as pilot-in-command, all within the ten days preceding the accident.
Technical examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical failures or technical malfunctions. The investigation also examined the pilot's recent maneuvers, noting that he had recently discussed techniques for shortening the landing distance by using sideslips. Furthermore, the investigation identified that the propeller rotation direction on this Jodel D 18 was opposite to that of the pilot's primary training aircraft, the Jodel D 112, which contributed to different yaw characteristics.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the execution of an unusual maneuver during the final approach.
- The pilot attempted to use a sideslip to reduce landing distance, a maneuver he was not sufficiently trained to perform in this specific aircraft.
- During the sideslip, the airflow disruption caused by the fuselage over the high wing induced a stall.
- The pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft's specific handling characteristics, including the opposite propeller rotation compared to his previous training aircraft, contributed to the loss of control.