What happened
On August 9, 2016, a student pilot was conducting a solo navigation flight in an Aeroprakt 22L2 ultralight aircraft. The planned route was a closed circuit starting and ending at EPOD, with a planned altitude of 2,0-0 ft AMSL. After departing at 09:28 LMT, the pilot established contact with FIS Olsztyn at the Dajtek ATZ.
Following the scheduled arrival time at EPOD, the supervising instructor was unable to establish contact with the student. After a period of silence, the instructor dispatched two other aircraft, a DA-20 and a SF-25, to locate the missing plane. Approximately 30 minutes later, the student pilot re-established radio contact, reporting that they had lost geographical orientation and were unsure of their position. The pilot's transponder was not being detected by FIS Olsztyn, and descriptions of the terrain provided by the pilot were insufficient to determine their location.
Due to concerns regarding remaining fuel, the instructor directed the student to perform a precautionary landing in a field. At approximately 11:45 LMT, the pilot successfully landed in a clover field near Wydminy, Giżycko. The pilot reported no injuries but noted damage to the aircraft. Subsequent communication revealed that while flying near Bartoszyce at 2,000 feet, the aircraft had collided with an unidentified object.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's condition and the circumstances of the flight. Physical inspection of the Aeroprakt 22L2 revealed impact marks on the left wingtip, including red paint transfers. The collision caused structural damage, including a deformed spar, broken trailing edge, and a broken flap. Additionally, the landing in the field resulted in damage to the tailwheel and a bent right main landing gear strut after striking a hard object during the rollout.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the loss of geographical orientation by the student pilot.
- The damage to the left wing was caused by a mid-air collision with an unidentified object, which investigators noted may have been a drone or a remote-controlled model aircraft.
- The landing gear damage was caused by striking a hard object during the precautionary landing in the field.