Report on air accident at Øian airport Meråker, Trøndelag on 10 July 2020 with ICP Savannah VG, LN-YZU
Aviation report 2021/06
An instructor and a student were completing an aircraft type check flight. The aircraft struck tops of trees during the last part of the approach and the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The instructor died in the accident while the student sustained minor injuries. The investigation found that a non-standard procedure had been used during the landing circuit, and that the check flight had not been prepared in accordance with the microlight aircraft handbook. The investigation also found that the instruction provided by each microlight aircraft instructors appeared to vary. The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) is issuing 3 safety reccomendations to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Norway) following this investigation.
The microlight aircraft section of the Norwegian Air Sports Federation (NLF) has carried out a risk assessment and planned risk-reduction measures to improve the regulations governing the practical training programme for and maintenance of instructor qualifications. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Norway) has delegated responsibility for microlight aircraft activity in Norway to NLF through approval of the safety system for microlight aircraft.The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) recommends that the Civil Aviation Authority follow up NLF’s work more closely, and ensure that the risk-reduction measures identified are implemented in microlight aircraft training activities.
The microlight aircraft was equipped with a ballistic recovery parachute system (BRS). It was not activated before the accident. The parachute system’s ballistic deployment can thus pose a danger to life and health in the event of unintentional release on the ground after an accident. LN-YZU was marked with BRS warning labels on the left-side cockpit door. The labels were invisible after the crash, as the aircraft lay with its left side facing the ground. The tail section of aircraft is often the least damaged in accidents. The NSIA is therefore of the opinion that BRS warning labels should also be placed there, and submits a safety recommendation on this point to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Norway)
There is no international or national database containing information about which aircraft are equipped with BRS parachutes. The NSIA recommends that CAA Norway establish a user-friendly common national database of aircraft in Norway, that among other things, contains information on any pyrotechnic equipment on board. This could increase the safety for those who arrives early at an accident site.
Three safety recommendations are issued in connection with this investigation. See report, appendix B.
Published 27.05.2021
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation Aviation No 2021/05T
On 10 July 2020, microlight aircraft LN-YZU crashed on its approach to Øian airport in Meråker. An instructor and a student were completing an aircraft type check flight. The accident occurred after loss of control due to collision with tops of trees during the last part of the approach. The instructor died in the accident, and the student sustained minor injuries. The investigation found that a non-standard procedure had been used during the landing circuit. The instruction provided by microlight aircraft instructors also varied. The microlight aircraft section of the Norwegian Air Sports Federation (NLF) has carried out a risk assessment and planned risk-reduction measures to improve the regulations governing the practical training programme for and maintenance of instructor qualifications. The Civil Aviation Authority has delegated responsibility for microlight aircraft activity in Norway to NLF through approval of the safety system for microlight aircraft.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Civil Aviation Authority follow up NLF’s work more closely, and ensure that the risk-reduction measures identified are implemented in microlight aircraft training activities.
Safety recommendation Aviation No 2021/06T
On 10 July 2020, microlight aircraft LN-YZU crashed on its approach to Øian airport in Meråker. The microlight aircraft was equipped with a ballistic recovery parachute system (BRS). It was not activated before the accident. The parachute system’s ballistic deployment can thus pose a danger to life and health in the event of unintentional release on the ground after an accident. LN-YZU was marked with BRS warning labels on the left-side cockpit door. The labels were invisible after the crash, as the aircraft lay with its left side facing the ground. The tail section of aircraft is often the least damaged in accidents. The NSIA is therefore of the opinion that BRS warning labels should also be placed there.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Civil Aviation Authority order owners of Norwegian aircraft with ballistic recovery parachute systems on board to also place standard warning labels on both sides of the tail section.
Safety recommendation Aviation No 2021/07T
On 10 July 2020, microlight aircraft LN-YZU crashed on its approach to Øian airport in Meråker. The microlight aircraft was equipped with a ballistic recovery parachute system (BRS). It was not activated before the accident. The parachute system’s ballistic deployment can thus pose a danger to life and health in the event of unintentional release on the ground after an accident.
It is important that first responders at an accident site knows whether an aircraft has recovery parachutes on board. There is no international or national database containing information about which aircraft are equipped with BRS parachutes.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Civil Aviation Authority establish a user-friendly common national database of aircraft in Norway that, among other things, contains information on any pyrotechnic equipment on board.
Facts
| Location | Øian airport Meråker, Norway |
| Occurrence date | 10.07.2020 |
| ICAO Location indicator | ENMO |
| Aircraft | Microlight aircraft |
| Registration | LN-YZU |
| Meteorological conditions | VMC |
| County | Trøndelag |
| Type of occurrence | Accident |
| Type of operation | Private (club) |
| Category of operation | Microlight aircraft |
| Aircraft category | Landplane, Single-engine, Piston engine |
| FIR/AOR | ENBD (Bodø ATCC) |