Accident Sequence
According to witness accounts and investigation, the powered hang glider (MZK) took off from runway 27 at the Mělník-Hořín airfield at 18:30 local time (16:30 UTC). After takeoff, the pilot entered a left turn to a southern circuit at an altitude of 50–100 meters. East of the airfield, he flew north into the area of the second turn of a left-hand circuit for runway 09. After the second turn, the altitude decreased to 30–70 meters. The flight continued through third and fourth turns. After the fourth turn, the altitude was about 20 meters. While crossing over runway 09, the aircraft made a left turn of approximately 90 degrees and continued on a northerly heading. At an altitude of 8 meters, it struck the gable of a hangar. The aircraft remained wedged against the hangar gable after impact. The pilot did not survive.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a powered hang glider type FITI 1 with an ATLET wing and a ROTAX 447 engine, registration OK-DZF 05. The undercarriage was manufactured in 2006, the wing in 2005. The aircraft had accumulated only 20 minutes of flight time during test flights on 4 April 2006 and no certificate of airworthiness had been issued. The pilot, aged 74, lacked a valid pilot license and medical certificate; no records of these were found. The last documented flight on a similar aircraft was possibly on 11 December 2005. Liability insurance was valid.
Meteorological Conditions
On 7 April 2006, the Czech Republic was under a high-pressure area. At the accident site, the weather was clear with visibility over 10 km, variable wind about 2 m/s, and no turbulence. Conditions did not adversely affect control or stability.
Investigation and Findings
Three witnesses were interviewed. The first witness observed the takeoff and flight path, noting no engine irregularities. The second witness, another pilot, saw the aircraft flying west at 70 m altitude and later landed. The third witness, an employee working near the hangar, heard a loud engine sound, looked up, and saw the aircraft flying low directly into the hangar gable; he noted no visible malfunction. On 8 April 2006, the wreckage was examined by the commission. Damage was consistent with a severe frontal impact: the main wing tubes were broken, the wing covering torn, the right control arm fractured, the composite fuselage nose crushed, the front strut broken, the engine torn from its mount, and all three propeller blades sheared off at running RPM. No pre‑impact defects were found. Toxicological tests confirmed the pilot was not under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or prohibited medication; the pilot was actively controlling the aircraft at impact. A technical inspection on 4 April 2006 had identified an unsuitable control bar position – about 15 cm farther forward than usual – which could adversely affect handling, especially during takeoff and landing. The owner was warned not to fly the aircraft until the issue was corrected. Despite this, the pilot flew on 7 April.
Probable Cause
The investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was limited controllability of the powered hang glider due to the incorrect position of the control bar.