2017 Evektor EV-97 EuroStar SL accident near Nížkov (OK-UUU)

Overview and flight details On 24 October 2017, a brand-new Evektor EV-97 EuroStar SL ultra-light aircraft, registration OK-UUU72, was involved in an accident 2 km east of the village of Nížkov, in the Žďár nad Sázavou district. The aircraft had been delivered to its owners on 23 October 2017. The pilot and co-owner, both foreign nationals, had planned a visual flight rules (VFR) trip from Kunovice to Karlovy Vary, routing north of Brno over the Moravian Highlands. ## Sequence of events After departing Kunovice, the flight proceeded without issue until the aircraft reached the area of Bohdalov, where deteriorating weather, including reduced visibility and a lowering cloud base, forced the crew to deviate from the planned route. The pilot entered a series of left turns and circled over Bohdalov for approximately 55 minutes while assessing conditions and searching for a suitable landing site. ## Crash and aftermath At 10:31:28 UTC, the aircraft left the Bohdalov area and headed toward Nížkov. The crew spotted a man working in a field and decided to make a safety landing nearby. The landing was attempted in fog, with the flaps retracted and the aircraft at a weight above the permitted limit. During the approach, the right wing struck trees, and the aircraft then impacted a field. Both occupants sustained serious injuries. Witnesses, including the field worker and a passing couple, assisted the crew and reported the accident to emergency services. The investigation was conducted by the Czech Institute for the Investigation of Causes of Aircraft Accidents (ÚZPLN) under EU Regulation 996/2010 and ICAO Annex 13, with the sole purpose of accident prevention.