History of the Flight
On 7 June 2014, at about 13:50 UTC (16:50 local time), a Piper PA-28-161, registration YU-DDB, operated by AVIACIJA DOO, was conducting a vaccination spraying flight. The flight originated from Balchik airstrip, with a planned route to Svishtov and return to Balchik. The pilot-in-command (PIC) and an equipment operator comprised the crew.
The aircraft had departed Balchik at 11:02 UTC after a pre-flight inspection and a test flight earlier that morning. The flight to Svishtov proceeded without incident. During the return leg from Svishtov to Razgrad, the weather rapidly deteriorated due to a powerful atmospheric front approaching from the northeast. This front brought extensive cumulonimbus clouds reaching up to 14,000 meters, thunderstorm activity, and abrupt changes in wind direction and speed.
At 13:21:18 UTC, the PIC began maneuvering to find a suitable landing area. He decided to perform a forced landing on an unlicensed airstrip near the village of Gradishte, Shumen region. During the landing, the aircraft touched the ground before the runway surface, struck the runway threshold, spun around, and came to a stop.
Injuries and Damage
The equipment operator suffered serious injuries. The PIC was not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Piper PA-28-161, registered in Serbia as YU-DDB. It had accumulated 6,168.27 flight hours as of the day of the accident. The aircraft was equipped for aerial spraying operations.
Personnel Information
The PIC held a valid commercial pilot license (CPL). The extent of his experience and qualifications is not detailed in the report.
Weather Information
At the time of the accident, the weather was characterized by a powerful atmospheric front from the northeast, with towering cumulonimbus clouds, thunderstorms, and rapidly changing wind conditions. The cloud tops reached 14,000 meters.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the immediate cause of the accident was errors in piloting technique during the forced landing in complex meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were incomplete pre-flight preparation by the PIC, including insufficient assessment of the meteorological situation and lack of knowledge of the Republic of Bulgaria's Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) regarding aerodromes, as well as the aircraft's equipment being installed in violation of standards for the placement of flight and navigation instruments.