What happened
On March 19, 2003, a Cessna 182K, registration N2448Q, was conducting a sightseeing flight from Prague-Letňany to Northern Bohemia. The flight, which included a passenger, was flying through turbulent conditions over mountainous terrain. During the flight, the pilot decided to land at the unmanned Hodkovice nad Mohelkou airfield to take a break.
As the pilot approached runway 19, the aircraft encountered a sudden wind gust just before touchdown, which caused the plane to gain unexpected altitude. In attempting to correct this deviation, the nose gear struck the ground with significant force, causing the gear to break away. The aircraft then impacted the ground, causing the propeller to strike the earth and the aircraft to flip onto its back.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the aircraft, the wreckage, and the pilot's actions. The investigation established that the aircraft was in a condition for flight at the time of the accident, and no technical malfunctions were found in the wreckage. The investigation also noted that the pilot chose to land on runway 19 despite a wind direction of 300 degrees at 13 knots, resulting in a landing with a significant crosswind and tailwind component. Additionally, investigators found that the aircraft had been operated without a valid permit between September 2000 and May 2001, and the pilot failed to produce required onboard documentation at the scene.