What happened
On April 1, 2017, an owner-pilot was operating a UL Sirius ultralight aircraft for what was stated to be a training flight. The flight took place at the Rudniki airfield (EPRU) without the knowledge or supervision of the pilot's training center.
During the landing phase on the concrete runway, the aircraft touched down with a high sink rate on the main landing gear approximately 30 meters before the runway threshold. Following the initial touchdown, the aircraft bounced from the ground three times. Instead of maintaining back pressure on the control column to facilitate a smooth transition or initiating a go-around, the pilot pulled the control column toward himself in an attempt to level the flight. This maneuver caused two subsequent bounces. On the third touchdown, the aircraft struck the runway at a steep angle on the nose gear. This impact caused the nose gear leg to break, forcing the aircraft forward onto its nose, which resulted in the destruction of three propeller blades. The aircraft came to a stop approximately 45 meters down the runway. The impact also damaged the nose gear fairing and bent the lower engine mount supports.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation established several critical irregularities regarding the pilot's status and aircraft configuration. At the time of the incident, the pilot did not yet hold a valid Ultralight Pilot License, having only obtained it four days after the accident. Additionally, the pilot was not carrying required flight documents or aircraft documentation.
Regarding the aircraft configuration, investigators found that the pilot had not set the propeller to low pitch or extended the flaps for landing. Notably, the emergency ballistic parachute system was found to be in a secured (armed) state, and the fuel valve remained open after the accident. While the pilot was found to be sober, the investigation noted that the pilot was wearing corrective lenses during the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a pilot error during landing, specifically the improper management of the aircraft's bounces.
- A contributing factor was the potential influence of ingrained habits from the pilot's extensive experience in hang gliding (approximately 1,300 hours), where control inputs are reversed, which may have manifested during the stress of the landing.
- The pilot was operating the aircraft without the legal authority of a pilot license at the time of the event.
- The emergency parachute system was not prepared for immediate deployment.