Introduction
On 2 April 2015, a Flight Design CTLS, registration YR-5276, operated by Katel Group S.R.L., was involved in an accident near the village of Bălăneasa, Bacău County, Romania. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; the sole occupant, the pilot, was not injured.
Flight History
The pilot had flown earlier that day from Piatra Neamț to Bucharest Băneasa Airport (LRBS) for personal reasons, departing at 12:00 LT and arriving after about 1 hour 30 minutes. For the return flight, a VFR flight plan was filed for the route Bucharest Băneasa to Piatra Neamț. The aircraft departed LRBS at 17:30 LT with no passengers on board.
While flying north of Onești, Bacău County, at an altitude of 4000 feet, the pilot observed a variation in the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) indication. Concerned about possible engine damage and with mountainous terrain ahead, the pilot decided to land as soon as possible. An agricultural road west of Bălăneasa was selected from the air as the landing site.
Accident Sequence
After overflying the area, the pilot chose a section of the road between the last house on the right side and a power line crossing approximately perpendicular. The aircraft touched down on the agricultural road and during the braking rollout traveled about 85 meters. It first contacted a pile of natural fertilizer on the right edge, then veered left, struck a wooden telephone pole with the left wing, rotated approximately 50° left, and came to rest overturned on its left side in a plowed field.
The pilot exited the aircraft unaided and called emergency services, reporting no injuries and no fuel leaks. The accident occurred at 19:12 LT at coordinates 46°22′59″N, 26°43′23″E, altitude 244 meters.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Flight Design GmbH CTLS, serial number F-10-10-09, built in 2010. It was a two-seat, carbon/aramid composite, fixed tricycle landing gear ultralight monoplane, equipped with a ballistic parachute. Total airframe hours were 657 hours 30 minutes. The owner and operator was Katel Group S.R.L., registered in Romania.
The pilot, a 38-year-old male, held a valid ultralight pilot license and a medical certificate valid until 30 September 2018. His total flight experience was 660 hours. Pre-accident rest could not be determined.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather at the accident site was estimated using data from the nearest meteorological station at Bacău Airport (about 20 km away, separated by the Pietricica ridge), pilot reports, eyewitness accounts, and METAR data. Conditions were estimated as: visibility greater than 10 km, wind from 270° at approximately 10 knots, temperature 4°C.
Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The left wing struck and broke a wooden telephone pole. The right wing contacted a pile of natural fertilizer. The airframe was overturned on its left side.
Cause
The investigation determined the accident was caused by pilot error in selecting the landing field, especially given the presence of a telephone line on the left side of the road along the landing direction.