What happened
On July 26, 2007, at approximately 15:17 UTC, a mid-air collision occurred 3.5 km north of the Hodkovice nad Mohelkou airfield (LKHD). The accident involved two gliders: an ASK 21 (registration D-2906) and an L 13 (registration OK-2813).
According to an eyewitness, a group of six gliders was circling near the Javorník hill. The pilot-instructor of the ASK 21 performed a half-roll to enter inverted flight. Simultaneously, the L 13 left the circling group and increased speed to position itself beneath the ASK 21 for formation flying and photography. As the ASK 21 transitioned from inverted flight into a dive, its left wing struck the vertical stabilizer of the L 13. The collision occurred at an altitude of approximately 700 meters.
The impact caused severe damage to both aircraft. The ASK 21 lost a large portion of its left wing, while the L 13 suffered significant deformation to its vertical stabilizer, which subsequently broke off in flight. The student pilot in the ASK 21 died upon impact with the ground. The pilot-instructor of the ASK 21 sustained serious injuries after exiting the aircraft via parachute. The crew of the L 13 also exited via parachute and sustained minor injuries.