2017 VSO-10 OK-1506 glider accident near Jaroměř

Overview and flight details On 8 May 2017, a VSO-10 glider with registration OK-1506, operated by Aeroklub Jaroměř, z. s., was involved in an accident at 11:57 UTC. The aircraft was 860 m northwest of LKJA (Jaroměř). The pilot had been conducting organized operations at the airfield, including a towed flight, and was attempting a landing on runway 14. ## Sequence of events After release from the tow at approximately 287 m AGL, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 14. During the fourth turn and approach, the pilot decided to use a slip to adjust the landing budget for a restricted area. While correcting the flight path in the slip, the glider suddenly entered a right spin. The aircraft struck the nose into a soft field with growing rapeseed and was destroyed. The pilot sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital. ## Aircraft and pilot information The VSO-10 is a single-seat, high-wing glider with a 15 m wingspan, manufactured by Orličan, n. p. in 1981. The specific aircraft, OK-1506, had a total time of 2,733 hours 30 minutes and 16 hours 52 minutes since its last inspection. The pilot was 63 years old, held a valid glider pilot license, and had a total of 471 hours 05 minutes on all glider types. ## Meteorological and site conditions Meteorological conditions during the flight and landing included surface winds from 270° to 330° at 5 to 8 kt, visibility over 10 km, and partly cloudy to overcast skies. The accident site was located in a field with growing rapeseed, approximately 150 m from a road and 268 m before the threshold of runway 14. The glider's nose struck first, and the right wing was torn off and separated from the fuselage.