Accident to the Aeroprakt A22-L22 identified 83AUA on 20/06/2022 at La Mure-Argens

During the take-off, shortly after rotating, after retracting the flaps and reducing the engine power to a value below that recommended for climb (maximum continuous speed), the pilot turned left towards the terrain, putting him on a flight path with small safety margins with respect to the high ground.

As the organiser of the group excursion, the pilot may have felt a certain pressure to be exemplary in complying with the strip operator's instructions. However, during his take-off, he turned early onto the crosswind leg. The comments made by the microlight strip operator over the radio during the various take-offs may have added to this pressure.

While climbing with the terrain ahead and with no natural horizon, the pitch attitude progressively increased until reaching values of more than 20° while the indicated airspeed progressively decreased. In these conditions, the microlight did not gain sufficient height with respect to the terrain. As there were no recorded parameters for the last seconds of the flight, the end of the flight sequence could not be determined. However, the pilot, finding himself at a very low height and low speed facing the terrain and, unable to avoid the collision with the vegetation, tried to land with the wings level on the tree tops.

The passenger was very probably only wearing the lap belt and not the shoulder straps. On impact, he was thrown forward and ejected out of the cockpit.