2011 L-23 Super Blaník accident near Jinačovice (OK-0216)

Overview and immediate sequence of events On 2 April 2011, a LET L-23 Super Blaník glider, registration OK-0216, operated by AK Medlánky o.s., crashed near the village of Jinačovice. The accident occurred at 15:25 UTC. The glider had been released by the pilot of the towplane after the glider assumed an unusual attitude that threatened the safety of the tow aircraft. Following the release, the glider struck the ground, resulting in serious injury to the glider pilot and minor injury to a passenger. The glider was destroyed. ## Flight details and personnel The glider and towplane took off from runway 16 at Medlánky (LKCM) at 15:17 UTC. The flight was intended to be a tow into thermals. The towplane pilot reported that the glider began to yaw to the left and pitch down, reaching an attitude of approximately 45 degrees nose-down. The towplane pilot released the tow rope and observed the glider below and to the right. The glider pilot was unresponsive to radio calls. The passenger reported that the pilot suddenly flailed his arms, shouted, and then became unconscious. The passenger attempted to wake the pilot and later manipulated a control lever, turning the glider toward an open area before impact. The glider pilot was a 44-year-old male with a valid glider pilot licence and a valid class 2 medical certificate. He had a total of 488 hours on gliders, with 1 hour and 35 minutes in the preceding 90 days. The passenger was a 33-year-old female with no aviation qualifications. The towplane pilot was a 64-year-old male with a valid glider pilot licence and a valid class 2 medical certificate. ## Aircraft and technical findings The L-23 Super Blaník was a two-seat, all-metal glider built in 1990. At the time of the accident, it had a total time of 1,861 hours and 36 minutes. The last 100-hour inspection was performed on 5 September 2010. No technical defects had been reported in the preceding 30 days. The maximum take-off mass was not exceeded. After the accident, the glider's control system was found to be intact and fully functional, with no pre-existing technical defects identified. The towplane was a WT9 Dynamic ultralight aircraft, registration OK-OUU34. ## Injuries and damage The glider pilot sustained serious injuries, while the passenger sustained minor injuries. No other persons were injured. The glider was destroyed by the impact with the ground. No other damage occurred at the accident site.