What happened
On July 31, 2022, a Ventus C glider, registration OK-0133, was participating in a competitive racing flight as part of the 2022 French Cup. After approximately 3.5 hours of flight, the pilot encountered deteriorating thermal conditions and increasing winds near the Litoměřice region. Unable to find further rising air currents, the pilot decided to perform a forced landing in a pre-selected field consisting of low stubble from a recently harvested cereal crop near the village of Vlastislav.
The pilot approached the landing from a left base leg, maintaining a speed of approximately 110–120 km/h using airbrakes. While the initial touchdown was normal, the glider continued along a straight rollout for about 50 meters. During this phase, the right wingtip made contact with the slightly rising terrain. This contact triggered a 120-degree rotation of the aircraft, which continued for another 20 meters before coming to a complete stop. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation utilized data from the aircraft's IGC flight logger, pilot testimony, and documentation from the Czech Police. The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance status, the pilot's qualifications, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The investigators also analyzed the physical damage to the aircraft and the topography of the landing site.
Findings
- The pilot was fully qualified and possessed sufficient flight experience.
- The aircraft was airworthy and had a valid certificate of airworthiness.
- The landing site consisted of uneven, rising terrain within a harvested field.
- The contact of the right wingtip with the rising ground caused the aircraft to rotate, generating destructive forces that resulted in the breakage of the rear fuselage approximately 30 cm forward of the vertical stabilizer.
- The wingtip strike was likely caused by wing dihedral during the rollout on the uneven surface.