What happened
On August 18, 2009, at 20:22 local time, an Airborne XT 912-SST ultralight, identified as 68ADW, crashed near Villenoy, France. The aircraft, operated by a local flying club, departed from the unpaved runway 34L at Meaux aerodrome for a local flight toward Pierrefende. The flight carried a pilot and one passenger.
Witnesses on the ground, located approximately two kilometers from the accident site, observed the aircraft climbing to roughly 700 feet before leveling off briefly and gaining an additional 100 feet. As the aircraft initiated a right-hand turn, the bank angle increased sharply. Within approximately two seconds of entering the turn, the aircraft entered a steep dive, striking the ground about one kilometer from the runway end. The impact caused the aircraft to catch fire.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the wreckage and the flight controls to determine the sequence of events leading to the impact. Examination of the crash site and the debris confirmed that the Airborne XT 912-SST struck the ground in a significant nose-down attitude. Structural failures and damage to the flight controls were determined to be static ruptures resulting from the impact itself.
The aircraft was equipped with an emergency ballistic parachute system. Investigators confirmed that the safety pin for the deployment trigger had been removed prior to takeoff, in accordance with standard operating procedures. While the pyrotechnic extractor did deploy, it was triggered by the impact with the ground rather than pilot intervention. The deployment control, located near the pilot's left hip, was noted to be difficult for a passenger to reach.
Findings
- The aircraft was a relatively new model, having flown only approximately 18 hours.
- The two fatalities occurred upon impact.
- The investigation could not establish a specific cause for the loss of control during the turn.