What happened
On September 11, 2016, at approximately 17:00, a man arrived at a meadow in Wróżewy to prepare his motor glider for flight. After taxiing across the field, the pilot took off heading north at approximately 17:45. An eyewitness observed the aircraft climbing to an altitude of about 50 meters AGL. During the climb, the engine RPM was observed to decrease slightly. The aircraft then performed a left turn of approximately 10 to 15 degrees, which appeared to be an intentional maneuver. However, the aircraft subsequently entered a more pronounced left turn, followed by a left bank and a forward pitch, resulting in a high-angle impact with the ground.
Upon impact, the front part of the cockpit struck the earth. The collision triggered a fire that consumed the entire aircraft and the pilot. The aircraft, a MW 155 Mara Wing with registration OK-HZF 08, was destroyed by the impact and the subsequent fire, which was fueled by approximately 50 liters of ethyl gasoline. The pilot sustained fatal injuries at the scene.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the pilot's background, the aircraft's technical condition, and the flight circumstances. The investigation revealed that while the pilot had flown motor gliders approximately 30 years prior, he had recently completed about eight hours of flight time in a different aircraft under the supervision of another pilot. At the time of the accident, the pilot did not hold the required license to act as pilot-in-command. This flight was likely his first solo flight after a three-decade hiatus and his first flight in this specific aircraft.
Regarding the aircraft, the MW 155 Mara Wing featured an amateur-built two-seat cockpit powered by a Volkswagen four-stroke boxer engine. The investigation found that the aircraft's airworthiness certification had expired on May 14, 2010. Due to the extensive destruction and fire, investigators could not verify the aircraft's weight or its flight characteristics, such as stability and controllability. There was also a possibility that unauthorized modifications had been made to the aircraft.
Findings
- The pilot was operating the aircraft without the required pilot-in-command license.
- The aircraft's airworthiness certification was significantly out of date.
- There was no evidence of a recent technical inspection or a successful test flight.
- The aircraft's technical documentation was unavailable for review.
- Weather conditions were appropriate for flight and were not a contributing factor to the accident.