Factual Information
On September 29, 2018, at 14:53:35 UTC, a Standard Cirrus glider, registration OK-1991, crashed into a field near the municipality of Lenešice, Louny district, Czech Republic. The glider was manufactured by Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau GmbH and Co. KG Mindelheim, Germany, and operated by a private individual. The pilot, who was conducting a solo flight with the task of searching for and centering thermal upcurrents, died due to injuries sustained in the accident.
Pilot and Flight
The pilot had been in flight for over two hours. Approximately 2.5 km from Raná airfield, after a series of turns, the pilot entered a spin. The glider remained in the spin until impact with the ground. The flight was intended to practice thermal soaring.
Aircraft and Investigation
The investigation was carried out by the Czech Accident Investigation Institute (ÚZPLN). Examination of the glider revealed a missing brass bushing in the eye of the console (part of the horizontal stabilizer control system). Measurements of ovality of the eye and bushing of the console were performed. The missing bushing was documented. A forensic medical examination was also conducted.
Conclusion
The glider entered a spin and continued spinning to the ground. The investigation identified a missing brass bushing in the console eye, which was analyzed for its influence on controllability. The probable cause was not explicitly stated in the available report.