What happened
On September 8, 2024, during a training flight at Slaný Airport, a student pilot and an instructor were performing circuit patterns in a Schleicher K7 - Rhönadler glider, registration OK-9132, towed by a Vampire II aircraft. Following the release from the tow at approximately 300 meters altitude, the student pilot mistakenly reached for the cockpit canopy release lever instead of the tow release lever.
Upon opening the front canopy, the instructor's rear canopy also opened and sustained damage. The student pilot then unbuckled his seatbelt and, despite the instructor's verbal commands to remain seated, climbed out of the cockpit and jumped from the aircraft. The student pilot did not deploy his emergency parachute. The instructor managed to close the front canopy and safely landed the glider at Slaný, though the aircraft's center of gravity had shifted significantly behind the allowable limit due to the loss of the student's weight.
The student pilot's body was located approximately 350 meters northwest of the Slaný airfield; he had sustained multiple injuries and was deceased.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the flight logs, witness statements from the instructor and other pilots, the glider's technical documentation, and the student's medical records. The investigation also reviewed the student's parachute and the aircraft's weight and balance configuration.
Medical examinations and toxicology reports revealed that the student pilot had both sedatives and stimulants (specifically substances that stimulate the central nervous system) in his blood and urine. While the student appeared normal to witnesses and the instructor during the flight, the presence of these psychoactive substances was confirmed. The investigation also noted that the glider was overloaded by 15.4 kg during the two-person flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the student pilot abandoning the glider while in flight.
- The student pilot was under the influence of psychoactive substances, including sedatives and stimulants, which impaired his ability to safely conduct flight activities.
- The student pilot failed to use his emergency parachute during the fall.
- The glider's center of gravity shifted beyond the rear limit after the student exited the aircraft.
- The student pilot had been training under six different instructors, which may have contributed to a lack of instructional continuity.
- There was currently no regulatory requirement for student pilots to hold a medical certificate prior to beginning flight training.