FlightFinder
Check my flight
4 fatalities

L-410 Prototype Crashes During Test Flight, Four Killed (OK-162)

Uherské Hradiště-Kunovice, Czech RepublicFlight

On July 7, 1977, a Let L-410 (registration OK-162) operated by LET Aircraft Industries was involved in an aviation accident near Uherské Hradiště-Kunovice, Czech Republic in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It is believed that the loss of control occurred when the tail separated in flight after severe actions were performed on the rudder by the pilot. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A Let L-410 prototype crashed during a test flight from Uherské Hradiště-Kunovice, killing all four on board. The official probable cause was tail separation after severe rudder actions.

Accident

The third prototype of the L-410 aircraft departed from Uherské Hradiště-Kunovice Airport for a local test flight. While cruising at a relatively low altitude, the pilot-in-command lost control. The airplane entered a dive and crashed into a field near Nedakonice, a few kilometers from the airport. The crash site was in a rural area. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident. All four occupants—two pilots and two technicians—were killed.

Investigation

The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident. The loss of control occurred when the tail separated from the aircraft in flight. This separation was a result of severe actions performed on the rudder by the pilot. The investigation concluded that the pilot's rudder inputs caused the tail to detach, leading to the loss of control and subsequent crash.

Structural failure

More accident analyses