What happened
On August 24, 2016, a pilot participating in the Gradient & Club Grand Prix 2016 competition at Mladá Boleslav (LKMB) was forced to terminate a competitive flight due to a lack of rising air currents. After attempting to gain altitude over various slopes without success, the pilot decided to land in a field north of the village of Voděrady.
To land against the prevailing northwest wind, the pilot executed a right-hand turn for the approach. During the final descent over a harvested field, the VSO-11 glider passed over a tree-lined road at an altitude of approximately 13 meters. During this phase, the aircraft's airspeed dropped to 72.4 km/h. Immediately before leveling out, the glider experienced a sudden nose-down pitch, likely due to local turbulence. The nose of the aircraft struck the soft ground approximately 46 meters from the tree line.
The impact caused the front fuselage to crack and the cockpit glazing to shatter. The glider bounced slightly before sliding 14.2 meters along the ground, rotating around its vertical axis. This rotation resulted in further damage to the rear fuselage and the vertical stabilizer.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN examined the flight data recorded by the GNSS flight recorder, the pilot's statements, and the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was fully qualified and the aircraft, registration OK-3526, was airworthy. Analysis of the flight logs showed that the pilot had been flying in a low-lift environment and made a decision to land in the terrain to avoid further altitude loss. The investigation also reviewed the meteorological conditions, noting a light northwest wind and clear skies with minimal turbulence at higher altitudes.
Findings
- The pilot was flying in a situation with insufficient thermal lift, necessitating an off-field landing.
- The approach was conducted at a low altitude and a low airspeed, which was near the aircraft's touchdown speed.
- The glider experienced a sudden nose-down pitch, likely caused by local turbulence, immediately prior to impact.
- The pilot's low altitude and low airspeed likely prevented an effective corrective response to the sudden pitch change.