Safety in Figures - BSV no.52
The table below summarises the accident statistics recorded from 1 January to 31 August 2018, ranking casualties by severity and distinguishing purely material-damage accidents. The second table shows microlight accidents involving French-registered aircraft that took place abroad with foreign crews.
The monthly statistics are updated with the latest known information (see the chart below), although not all minor accidents may appear for the current month because they sometimes reach us late.
Number of events by severity and by month (all microlights registered in France)
We note that at the end of August we have two fewer deaths than last year at the same date, which remains encouraging given everyone's efforts to improve safety.
Sadly, we still see some accidents with too-low speeds on final among the associated causes. It must be kept in mind that rotor effects and wind gradients create a very high risk of loss of lift just a few metres above the ground, so it makes sense to add a speed margin as a precaution.
Particular attention must also be paid to the safety perimeter around turning propellers, which pose an immediate and, above all, invisible danger. Collisions with people on the ground are not rare and the consequences are, sadly, often serious. On the ground it is therefore advisable to keep a finger on the “kill switch” or close to it; shutting the engine down should be an automatic action acquired by the pilot. Statistically, every year we are told of more or less serious accidents associated with a delay in shutting the engine down.
Wishing you all happy flying.
Pierre Kolodziej
Flight Safety Committee
Editorial
Rolling along!!
That's it, back to school: the holidays are over, but the summery weather gave us some lovely flights, whose memories will brighten the cold, misty days ahead.
The Analyst's analysis
In May 2017, the BEA published its report on the accident involving the FK12 Comet microlight, registration 974-GJ, which occurred on 27 August 2016 at Sours (28). Both occupants of the aircraft were seriously injured.
Training Corner
Knowing your environment perfectly...
Below is the safety report of a pilot who agreed to share with us a recent equipment incident (a ground collision) of which he was the cause.
A number of lessons can be drawn from it.
What about doing a REV? > video guide
A question about the REV programme? > see our dedicated FAQ
