Standard Cirrus B catches a wingtip in crop in a low turn for a field on final glide
On the final glide home to Hodkovice nad Mohelkou, the pilot of a Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus B was injured and the glider destroyed when its right wingtip caught standing crop in a low turn into a field 1.2 km short of the runway. Into a light northerly wind whose strength he did not know, he had descended steadily since setting course for home; the last 7 km rose 200 m to the hilltop airfield over woods. The glider was at about 10 m when the tip touched, and the glider rotated into the ground. The report found he had not recognised the wind's effect on the glide and had not chosen a field in time.
- Cross-country from Hodkovice: The pilot was aerotowed from Hodkovice nad Mohelkou at 11:53, soared near the airfield for about 50 minutes, then flew a cross-country route via the Krkonoše to Bezděz and Bakov nad Jizerou.
- Final glide into the wind: At 17:12, about 3 km north of Kosmonosy, he set course for RWY 01 at Hodkovice into a light N to NW wind whose strength he did not know, and descended from then on.
- Ground rising 200 m to the airfield: Over the last 7 km the terrain rose about 200 m to the hilltop airfield at 451 m MSL, with more woods and fewer fields suitable for an outlanding.
- Glide continued without a field: Two circles north of Mnichovo Hradiště gained only 12 m; he continued towards Hodkovice and descended below the height from which the airfield could be reached.
- Low turns towards a field: About 1.7 km from the threshold he turned left onto about 270°, then right to the north and, after a 5-second pause, right again over a field south of Vrchovina.
- Wingtip catches crop in turn: At about 10 m AGL, heading about 120°, the right wingtip caught crop about 1 m tall and then the ground, and the glider rotated to the right out of control.
- Pilot injured; glider destroyed: The glider struck the ground on the lower front fuselage and slid about 8 m sideways; the pilot left it unaided and was taken to hospital.