What happened
On August 12, 2013, a pilot was conducting a solo flight from Zbraslavice, intending to fly via Jedovnice and Moravská Třebová before returning to the departure airfield. Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the pilot decided to return to Zbras and subsequently opted for an off-field landing near the village of Bobrová.
The pilot selected a mown cereal field with an uphill slope, landing into the wind and manually extending the landing gear. During the landing roll, the aircraft transitioned onto a terrain with an opposing downslope. The pilot was unable to stop the ASW 19B using braking before the aircraft reached an uneven farm road separating adjacent fields. Upon hitting the uneven surface of the road, the glider bounced and landed in a neighboring mown field. After rolling approximately one meter, the landing gear spontaneously retracted despite the control lever remaining in the extended position. The aircraft then veered approximately 90 degrees to the right before coming to a complete stop. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage to the lower forward fuselage, a fuselage bulkhead, the braking flap controls, and the landing gear.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the pilot's qualifications, the aircraft's maintenance status, and the sequence of events during the landing maneuver. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held valid qualifications and medical certification, with sufficient flight experience for the intended flight. The investigation also verified that the aircraft's airworthiness certificate and insurance were valid. The investigation focused on the transition from the initial landing site to the uneven road and the subsequent mechanical failure of the gear.
Findings
- The pilot made the decision to perform an off-field landing due to unfavorable weather developments.
- The pilot failed to stop the aircraft on the initial chosen field, leading the glider onto an uneven farm road.
- The impact with the uneven road caused the glider to bounce and land in a different field.
- The landing gear retracted spontaneously after the aircraft had moved approximately one meter on the second field, even though the lever was in the extended position.