Incident Overview
On March 30, 2021, at approximately 11:05 local time, an Evektor EV-97 SportStar Max ultralight aircraft crashed in a wooded area near Jandelsbrunn. The incident resulted in the death of the 54-year-old pilot and the total destruction of the aircraft. The crash site was located in a marshy forest region containing a beaver-dammed pond, situated 6.5 km north of the Sonderlandeplatz Sonnen airfield.
Flight Profile and Evidence
The pilot had departed from Sonderlandeplatz Sonnen (EDPS) at 11:00 for a planned private flight to Pilsen, Czech Republic. Flight data recorded by a Garmin GPSMap 296 indicated that the aircraft was flying on a northern course toward Jandelsbrunn when it entered a left turn that transitioned into an almost opposite heading just before impact. Witnesses reported observing the ultralight aircraft in a nearly vertical descent and noted white debris scattering from the airframe.
Upon recovery, the wreckage was found with the fuselage pointing north and resting at a 45-degree angle in the marsh. The engine, identified as a Rotax 912 ULS2, showed damage consistent with impact forces rather than pre-crash mechanical failure. Inspection of the canopy revealed that a safety hook mandated by the manufacturer's Mandatory Bulletin EV97-33a SR R1 was not installed. This bulletin required the addition of a safety device to prevent the canopy from opening in flight.
Regulatory and Historical Context
The aircraft, manufactured in 2006 with serial number 0807, was registered in the Czech Republic under an ultralight aircraft license (ULLa). It had a maximum takeoff mass of 450 kg and accumulated 9,383 flight hours prior to the accident. The last maintenance check was performed on March 6, 2021.
The absence of the mandatory safety hook was a significant factor under investigation. Previous incidents involving similar Evektor models had linked unexpected canopy openings to the lack of this specific component. Although the Czech aviation authority stated that operators are responsible for implementing such manufacturer directives, the failure to install the required safety hook on this specific airframe contributed to the circumstances leading to the fatal crash.