What happened
On June 28, 2021, at approximately 16:00 local time, a pilot and a passenger departed from the Wola Krakowiańska 1 landing field for a recreational flight. The aircraft, a Topaz KR030 with registration SP-SAKP, was a relatively new acquisition for the pilot, who was performing only his fifth flight in this specific type.
During the flight, which lasted roughly 50 minutes, the passenger began experiencing symptoms of motion sickness. In response, the pilot decided to return immediately to the departure site to land. During the landing sequence, the aircraft bounced off the takeoff strip surface and subsequently settled onto its nose gear. The impact caused the nose gear to detach, leading the aircraft to strike the ground with its nose and undergo a ground loop. The incident resulted in no fatalities or serious injuries to the occupants, who were able to exit the wreckage unassisted.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the sequence of the landing and the pilot's handling of the aircraft. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained extensive damage, including destruction of the propeller, engine cowling, nose gear, and components of the powerplant. Additionally, the fuselage (tail section), vertical stabilizer, left wing leading edge, doors, and windshield were damaged.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was pilot error during the landing phase.
- The pilot had limited overall experience and very few flight hours specifically on the Topaz KR030 type.
- Time pressure, created by the need to address the passenger's motion sickness, acted as a contributing factor to the event.