What happened
On June 15, 2015, a private pilot was conducting a cross-country flight departing from Uppsala/Sundbro airport. After approximately two and a half hours of flight, the thermal activity began to diminish. While flying at an altitude of 300 meters, the pilot decided to perform an out-landing in a nearby field, which measured approximately 350 meters in length.
During the approach, the pilot attempted to search for remaining thermals between 30/00 meters and 200 meters altitude, leading to several unsuccessful landing attempts. The final approach was executed at an abnormally low altitude on the downwind leg, with the base leg positioned very close to the start of the field. The final approach path ended over a tall treeline.
During the descent, the pilot encountered difficulty deploying the airbrakes. The pilot eventually realized that the airbrake lever required a specific lateral movement to the right before it could be pulled backward. Because the airbrakes were deployed late and the wing flaps were only set to +10 degrees rather than the standard +15 degrees, the aircraft's braking performance was insufficient. The aircraft overshot the landing area, prompting the pilot to execute a maneuver to stop. During this attempt, the right wing struck the ground, causing the aircraft to enter a ground loop. The force of the rotation caused the aft fuselage of the LS 6b, registration OH-765, to break away. The pilot escaped the wreckage without injury.
The investigation
The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) examined the flight data and interviewed the pilot to reconstruct the approach. The investigation focused on the flight path, the configuration of the aircraft's control surfaces, and the mechanical design of the airbrake lever. Investigators also reviewed the pilot's experience with this specific aircraft model and the physical characteristics of the landing site.