Introduction
On 13 September 2025, at approximately 14:00 local time, a Tulak UL ultralight aircraft, registration OK-VUY33, departed from Borne Sulinowo airfield with the intention of flying to Płock airfield. The flight ended in an accident near the village of Parzeń, about 15 km west of Płock, when the aircraft struck trees during a precautionary landing. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft was destroyed, and no fire occurred.
Sequence of Events
The pilot, also the aircraft owner, fueled the aircraft to its full capacity of 55 liters of unleaded gasoline, sufficient for approximately 3.5 hours of flight. Before departure, the pilot contacted the manager of Płock airfield by telephone, arranging landing permission and obtaining current meteorological information. After a pre-flight inspection and engine check, the pilot departed around 14:00. The flight was conducted at an altitude of 1,500–2,000 ft. After passing Toruń, weather conditions deteriorated, with cloud bases lowering to 100–200 m above ground level in the Płock area. The pilot determined that continuing to the destination or returning to the departure airfield was not possible due to low fuel reserves. He decided to conduct a precautionary landing and selected a meadow near Parzeń. During the approach, while flying over a forest with tree heights of 10–15 m, the aircraft's wing struck a treetop, disrupting the flight path and resulting in a collision with trees and subsequent ground impact. The pilot did not make radio contact with air traffic services; no obligation existed in Class G airspace. The pilot reported that the aircraft was airworthy and the engine was running until impact, but a witness stated to police that they did not hear the engine. After the accident, the pilot left the aircraft unaided and uninjured, contacted an acquaintance by phone, and was picked up. He did not notify any authorities immediately and left the wreckage at the scene. The next day, the wreck was discovered by a mushroom picker, who alerted emergency services. The pilot later reported to the police.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
Pilot: The pilot was a 70-year-old Polish male holding a valid Czech-issued pilot license for ultralight aircraft and a Class 2 medical certificate with VML (vision multi-focal) limitation. His total flight time was approximately 2,000 hours, all on ultralight aircraft.
Aircraft: The aircraft was a Tulak UL, a strut-braced high-wing ultralight with a tailwheel, manufactured by PODEŠVA-AIR (Czech Republic) in 2004, serial number 09. It was powered by a Rotax 912 UL engine and registered in the Czech Republic as OK-VUY33. The aircraft had a valid technical permit (Technický průkaz) issued in 2017. The airframe total time was about 1,000 hours (declared), with documentation showing 1,012 hours at the last maintenance. The pilot stated that maintenance was performed per LAA CR requirements; the last service was on 20 June 2025.
Meteorological Conditions
Meteorological information was obtained from the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) and the pilot's statement. The Significant Weather Chart valid 15–21 UTC on the day of the accident indicated the region was under the influence of a warm front, with overcast to broken stratiform clouds at bases of 800–1,500 ft AMSL, visibility 10 km (locally reducing to 3–5 km south of the Vistula River), and isolated cumulonimbus clouds near Płock with bases 1,500–2,500 ft. Data from the Płock synoptic station at 15:00 UTC reported visibility 2,816 m, wind from 311° at 2 m/s, and a cloud base between 100 m and 200 m above ground. The pilot obtained a verbal weather report from the airfield manager before departure but did not review forecast charts for the later period, which indicated deteriorating conditions. The report states: "Pogoda mogła mieć wpływ na zaistnienie zdarzenia." (Weather may have had an influence on the occurrence of the event.)
Conclusion and Findings
The investigation established the following findings: the pilot held valid licenses and medical certification; the aircraft had valid documentation; the pilot did not conduct a thorough analysis of meteorological conditions for the planned flight; the pilot did not notify emergency services after the accident; the pilot did not use radio communication during the flight; weather conditions at the destination were below visual flight rules (VFR) minima. The accident was attributed to two factors: incomplete pre-flight weather analysis and improper execution of the approach to landing in unprepared terrain.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was an incomplete analysis of atmospheric conditions before the planned flight and an improper execution of the approach to landing in unprepared terrain.
No safety recommendations were issued.