Standard Cirrus spins in after a missing tailplane bushing limits pitch control

On a solo thermalling flight from Raná, the pilot of a Standard Cirrus was killed when the glider spun into a field near Lenešice, its pitch control limited by a bushing missing from the tailplane mounting; the glider was substantially damaged. The brass bushing had not been pressed into the eye of the tailplane bracket, and the tailplane was fitted without it. In flight the resulting play let the steel mounting pins work partly out, changing the tailplane's angle. After about 2.5 hours the glider flew short climbs, descents and turns at 58–145 km/h ground speed, then spun from about 500 m AGL; even full forward stick did not recover it.

1. Solo thermalling practice: The pilot was aerotowed from Raná at 14:22 for solo practice in finding and centring thermals under a nearly cloudless sky, after about two weeks of converting to the type.
2. Tailplane fitted without a bushing: The brass bushing had not been pressed into the eye of the tailplane bracket, and the tailplane was fitted without it. The control check after rigging showed full and free movement.
3. Aft centre of gravity: With 4.45 kg of nose ballast the cockpit load was 72.45 kg against the flight manual's 70 kg minimum, which left the centre of gravity well aft.
4. Pins work loose, pitch limited: Under air loads the play let the tailplane's two steel pins slide partly out of their bushings, changing the tailplane's angle and limiting pitch control.
5. Climbs, descents, turns, then spin: After about 2.5 hours the glider left steady flight for short climbs, descents and a series of turns at 58–145 km/h ground speed, then entered a spin from about 500 m AGL.
6. Unrecovered spin into a field: Even with full forward stick the angle of attack could not be brought below the critical; the glider struck a mown field nose-first in a left spin west of Lenešice. The pilot was killed.