What happened
On May 24, 2003, at 17:02 UTC, a paraglider pilot conducted a sport flight originating from the summit of Radhošť, heading toward Holešov. During the flight, between the Huštýn hill and the village of Mořkov, the pilot encountered a strong thermal updraft that pulled the aircraft into a cloud.
The pilot managed to exit the cloud over the area of Nový Järlov, where the flight concluded with a landing in the middle of Masarykovo náměstí, a public square. The incident was captured by the local municipal police surveillance system. During the flight, the pilot operated within the Ostrava-Mošnov (LKMT) CTR for approximately one hour.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation established that the pilot operated the AXIS Korsair paraglider within the Class D airspace of the LKMT CTR without obtaining prior clearance from the Ostrava-Mošnov air traffic control service. Furthermore, no bilateral radio communication was established between the pilot and the controller. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's regulatory compliance regarding mandatory insurance.
Findings
- The pilot entered controlled airspace (CTR LKMT) without authorization or established radio contact.
- The pilot failed to fulfill the legal obligation to maintain valid mandatory insurance.
- The aircraft's weight, balance, and technical parameters were not contributing factors to the incident.