Accident to the class-6 Helisport CH 77 Ranabot registered 54AXP on 15/07/2019 at Grand Couronné microlight base (Meurthe-et-Moselle)

The pilot was planning to perform sightseeing flights on a class-6 microlight. He had committed personally and financially to this project.

The pilot was conducting training flights with a view to launching this activity, including simulating the presence of passengers using weights placed in the cockpit.

On the day of the accident, the pilot was conducting a training flight alone on board in relatively strong wind conditions. On final, after a second low-level circuit pattern, the microlight deviated to the right of the runway, probably pushed by the wind. The pilot continued in order to enter hover on the prepared strip adjacent to the runway. As he was approaching the bank of a ditch bordering the field at a very low height, the pilot lost yaw control of the microlight. When entering hover, he increased power to maintain the height of the microlight. This action increased the counter-rotating torque of the main rotor and the microlight yawed to the right. The pilot had probably not anticipated this effect and did not sufficiently counter the torque with rudder inputs. The microlight was 180° from its initial direction. The pilot was probably worried and so reduced power. The microlight lost height and yawed to the left. The front of the left skid struck the bank and the microlight rolled over on its right side and came to rest.