Cirrus spins in from a slow, steep thermalling turn at 100 m as its airbrakes extend

On the first flight after an eight-month break, the pilot of a Cirrus was killed near Hranice when the airbrakes extended, for an undetermined reason, in a steep thermalling turn close to the stall at about 100 m AGL; the glider spun into a roundabout and was destroyed. After an aerotow, the pilot had been circling for lift about 700 m from the airfield with the gear extended at about 65 km/h, against a stall speed of 63 km/h. The airbrake control was probably not locked. The report judged the pilot's perception very probably affected by his health; the autopsy found an undiagnosed benign brain tumour.

1. First flight after winter break: The pilot's first flight after a winter break of almost eight months, to renew handling in the first spring thermals. Before take-off the pilot had forgotten the parachute and fetched it.
2. Undiagnosed brain tumour: An autopsy found an undiagnosed benign brain tumour. A fellow pilot had seen nausea, headaches and poorer concentration in recent months; no doctor had been consulted.
3. Low release from aerotow: An aerotow from Hranice at 13:04; the pilot released north of the airfield at about 250–300 m AGL, which a fellow pilot judged unnecessarily low.
4. Slow, steep circles at 100 m: Searching for lift, the pilot circled about 700 m from the airfield at about 100 m AGL with the gear extended, in steep banks at about 65 km/h; stall speed was 63 km/h.
5. Airbrakes extend in the turn: On the second circle the airbrakes extended for an undetermined reason; the report found their control probably not locked.
6. Right spin onto a roundabout: The glider entered a right spin and after 1.5–2 turns struck a roundabout on road 47, about 700 m north-east of the runway threshold. The pilot was killed and the glider destroyed.