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| Date: | Saturday 1 September 2018 |
| Time: | 18:40 |
| Type: |  Savannah VG |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | 57YM/F-JQAS |
| MSN: | 03-05-51-224 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Molineuf, Loir-et-Cher -
 France
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Blois/Le Breuil Airport (XBQ/LFOQ) |
| Flavacourt ULM Airfield | |
| Investigating agency: | BEA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilots of the two ultralight aircraft (Savannah VG, 57YM and Buse'Air 150, 75WQ) started the return flight to their base together after spending the day at Blois Le Breuil where there had been a microlight meeting. They lost visual and radio contact with each other. The pilot of the Savannah VG, the only person on board, looked in vain for the Buse'Air 150 that he was following. He decided to climb and struck the tail unit of the Buse'Air 150 which was flying above him, with his propeller and right wing.
The Savannah VG entered a spin. The pilot regained control of the microlight after having lost approximately 1000 ft but collided with the ground.
The pilot of the other microlight carried out an off-field landing.
Contributing factors to the loss of visual and radio contact and subsequent midair collision:
- The lack of experience in formation flying on the part of the 57YM pilot.
- Insufficient formalization of the formation flight on the part of the two pilots, during its preparation and execution. In particular, they had not established a strategy in case of loss of visual and/or radio contact between the two aircraft. Also, they did not verify that the radio contact was established between them at the end of the regrouping, in particular after the change of frequency which was envisaged.
- The relative positions of the sun and the 75WQ just before the collision which could have hindered the detection of the latter by the pilot of the 57YM.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.bea.aero/les-enquetes/les-evenements-notifies/detail/event/collision-en-vol-entre-deux-ulm/
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/loir-et-cher/molineuf-la-collision-aerienne-fait-un-blesse-grave
Images:
Photo: BEA
Media:
Go team: collision en vol de 2 #ulm près de #blois survenu ce jour 01/09/18. L’#ulm de type #Savannah VG identifié 57YM est accidenté / Une équipe de 2 enquêteurs @BEA_Aero sera sur place demain 02/09/18 / @BEA_Aero ouvre une enquête de sécurité.
— BEA | Bureau d'Enquêtes & d'Analyses ✈️ 🚁🛩 🇫🇷 (@BEA_Aero) 1 septembre 2018
🇫🇷 France, Loir-et-Cher - Samedi en fin de journée, deux ULM se sont accrochés au-dessus de Molineuf. L'un des appareils s'est écrasé à quelques mètres d'une habitation. Son pilote a été sérieusement blessé mais son pronostic vital n'est pas engagé.https://t.co/PBPTB9nfo7 pic.twitter.com/RqzheMxcbv
— Planes Of Legend (@PlanesOfLegend) 2 septembre 2018
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Sep-2018 22:09 | Iceman 29 | Added |
| 02-Sep-2018 19:29 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 02-Sep-2018 19:30 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Embed code, ] |
| 02-Sep-2018 19:31 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Location, ] |
| 05-Sep-2018 10:41 | Anon. | Updated [Registration, Cn, ] |
| 07-Sep-2018 14:43 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 31-Oct-2021 09:37 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative, Accident report, Photo, ] |
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