L 33 Solo strikes the runway nose first after a sharp push to stop a bounce
Landing at Kunovice, the pilot of an LET L 33 Solo was unhurt, but the glider was substantially damaged when its nose struck the grass runway after a sharp push to stop a bounce. After a winch-launched circuit, the pilot had closed the airbrakes shortly before touchdown, which the report found raised the speed. Within a second of touchdown a bang came from under the fuselage and the glider rose, by the pilot's estimate, 1 to 2 m; the report judged this most probably a bounce plus a float from a startled, unintended pull on the stick. The glider bounced once more before the pilot landed normally.
- Winch-launched circuit: The pilot was winch-launched to about 300 m AGL, gave up centring a thermal near the third turn after a few turns and turned final for the grass RWY 02L into a headwind.
- Airbrakes closed before the flare: The pilot flew the approach at 100 km/h with the airbrakes half out and closed them a few seconds before the flare; the report found this raised the speed and the tendency to float.
- Bang at touchdown, 1–2 m rise: Within a second of the main wheel touching, a bang came from under the fuselage and the glider rose, by the pilot's estimate, 1 to 2 m. He said the wheel had run into a hole.
- Float from a startled pull: The report judged the rise most probably a bounce combined with a float, from an unintended pull on the stick in the surprise at the bang. The airbrakes stayed closed.
- Sharp push, nose strikes runway: The pilot pushed sharply to stop the climb; the report found the push disproportionate to the small height, and the nose struck the grass runway.
- Second bounce, normal landing: The glider bounced again. This time the pilot set the landing attitude, touched down and opened the airbrakes.
- Fuselage deformed; pilot unhurt: The nose and a front bulkhead were deformed, another bulkhead torn, the rear fuselage bent upward and the right wing fittings were out of tolerance.