What happened
On August 24, 2012, an Apollo Fox ultralight aircraft was performing a landing approach at the Żar airfield. During the flare phase of the landing, the pilot encountered a strong rear-lateral gust originating from the right side. This sudden wind shift caused the aircraft to tilt onto the left main landing gear. The aircraft then tilted to the right, causing the right wingtip to make contact with the ground. This impact initiated a rightward rotation of the aircraft, which resulted in the failure of the nose gear, destruction of the propeller, and structural damage to the fuselage. The pilot and passenger were both uninjured during the event.
According to the pilot's statement, the approach was being conducted at a speed of 110 km/h with the flaps set to the "small" position. This was the pilot's third landing at this specific airfield.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight parameters during the approach and the environmental conditions at the mountain airfield. The inquiry focused on the aircraft's speed, configuration, and the impact of the sudden wind gust on the aircraft's stability during the flare.