What happened
On May 4, 2003, at approximately 17:35 UTC, a motorized paraglider (paramotor) was engaged in a recreational flight near Hlučín, Czech Republic. The pilot had coordinated the flight with another ultralight aircraft pilot. While the second pilot climbed to an altitude exceeding 170 meters, the pilot of the Mac Para Technology Hornet 27 continued flying at an extremely low altitude over the terrain.
As the aircraft flew over a water body known as the "štěrlovena" approximately 1 km southwest of Hlučín, the paramotor likely made contact with the water surface. The impact caused the aircraft to submerge. The pilot was subsequently pulled from the water by firefighters and the other ultralight pilot, then transported by emergency services to a hospital in an unconscious state.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation established several critical regulatory and operational failures. The investigation found that the pilot was operating with an invalid ultralight pilot license and lacked the specific qualification required for motorized paragliders. Furthermore, the aircraft itself was not legally airworthy; the Hornet 27 lacked a registered identification mark, a valid technical certificate, and required legal insurance.
Investigators also determined that the flight violated established minimum altitude regulations for the area. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear with a light southwest wind of 2 m/s, and were not a contributing factor to the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to maintain the minimum required altitude over the terrain and surrounding obstacles.
- A contributing factor was likely an incorrect estimation of the height above the water surface and negligent handling of the paramotor at low altitude.
- The pilot was flying in violation of flight rules regarding minimum altitudes and the safe handling of the aircraft.
- The aircraft was not in a condition for flight due to lack of registration and technical certification.