What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2012-05-26 involved a L 33 SÓLO, registration OK-3503, at Letiště LKKY, CZ.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by the pilot's improper response to a wind-induced bounce, where an aggressive forward control input led to a nose-down attitude and subsequent hard impacts with the ground.

Pilot error leads to bouncing landing in L-33 SOLO glider

A glider experienced a series of bounces and structural damage during landing at Kyjov Airport due to an improper pilot response to a wind gust.

What happened

On May 26, 2012, an L-33 SOLO glider, registration OK-3503, was performing a landing maneuver on Runway 33 at Kyjov Airport (LKKY). During the flare phase of the approach, the aircraft was flying at approximately 110 km/h when it encountered a wind gust of 5-7 m/s from a 060° direction. This gust caused the glider to bounce off the runway surface, reaching an altitude of approximately 1.5 meters.

In an attempt to manage the situation, the pilot reacted by forcefully pushing the control stick forward. This maneuver increased the aircraft's longitudinal pitch, leading to a hard impact of the nose with the runway. The aircraft subsequently underwent three bounces, during which the main landing gear and potentially the nose made repeated contact with the ground. The pilot applied full air brakes during the sequence, and the aircraft eventually came to a complete stop. There were no injuries to the pilot.

The investigation

The ÚZPLN investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's qualifications, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was fully qualified with a GLD and FI(G) rating and held a valid medical certificate. The aircraft was also found to be airworthy, with its last annual inspection completed in September 2011 and no defects reported since.

The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the flare and the pilot's subsequent control inputs. The investigators analyzed the impact of the wind gust and the physical damage sustained by the airframe, which included deformation of the lower nose section, wrinkling of the upper center section skin, and damage to the rear fuselage near the vertical stabilizer.

Findings

The primary cause of the accident was inappropriate pilot input during the landing maneuver, specifically the failure to maintain proper piloting technique following the initial bounce.
A wind gust significantly influenced the landing profile, causing the initial loss of contact with the runway.
The pilot's forceful forward control input increased the aircraft's pitch, resulting in a hard nose impact.
The structural damage to the nose, center section, and rear fuselage was a direct result of the heavy impacts with the runway surface.