2016 L 13A Blaník OK-0931 accident near Česká

Overview and flight details On 4 July 2016, an L 13A Blaník glider with registration OK-0931, operated by Aeroklub Brno-Medlánky o. s., was involved in an accident in a field near the village of Česká, on the northern edge of the ATZ LKCM. The pilot, accompanied by one passenger, had planned a cross-country flight of approximately 100 km, with the route LKCM-LKMK-LKCM. The initial part of the flight was conducted in good thermal conditions. After about an hour, the conditions changed, and the pilot was unable to find lift near Moravská Třebová. He landed at LKMK at 13:53 UTC and was subsequently towed back into the air. After release at 14:30 UTC, the glider climbed to 2,200 m QNH. The pilot later decided to continue toward LKCM, but encountered weak lift near Kuřimi and elected to make a field landing. ## Accident sequence and damage The pilot selected a field with tall wheat, as adjacent fields were covered with sugar beet. During the landing, the left wingtip contacted the crop, causing the glider to rotate approximately 160 degrees to the left. The pilot lowered the nose to keep the tail clear of the crop. The landing was completed at 15:44 UTC. Damage was found in the center section, including a wrinkled skin panel and a damaged bulkhead behind and above the instructor's seat. The pilot and passenger were not injured. ## Aircraft and maintenance The L 13A Blaník is a two-seat, all-metal, cantilever glider with a single main landing gear. It was manufactured by LET n. p., Kunovice, in 1972, with serial number 175119. At the time of the accident, it had a total time of 1,870 hours 20 minutes and 10,265 flights. The last inspection was an 'A' check on 25 June 2016, with the glider released for service. The aircraft was not equipped with a recorder. ## Meteorological and site conditions The accident site was located approximately 4.8 km north of the ARP LKCM, in a field on the southwestern edge of Česká. The field sloped significantly from southwest to northeast and was covered with wheat about 60 cm high. The estimated meteorological conditions included surface winds of 260–320° at 4–6 kt, visibility over 10 km, nearly clear skies, and a temperature of 29°C. ## Investigation findings The investigation concluded that the pilot was qualified and the glider was airworthy and insured. The pilot misjudged the availability of thermal lift and, as a result, was unable to glide to the destination airport and found himself in an area with limited suitable landing fields. The circumstances forced a landing in a field with tall wheat. All damage to the glider was caused by centrifugal forces during the sudden change in motion during the rotation. The probable cause was the pilot's incorrect procedure, which prevented a glide to the airport or a suitable landing field.