ASW 15 B lands in standing grain after a gear-airbrake lever mix-up
Circuit at Kroměříž with the gear lever pulled in mistake for the airbrakes: the pilot of an ASW 15 B turned final at about 150 km/h with the brakes closed, and two fast approaches later he put the glider into standing grain; the pilot was seriously injured and the glider substantially damaged. The first touchdown, a third of the way along RWY 02, bounced at once, so he flew on and turned back low onto RWY 20, crossing that runway fast as well. With a stream embankment beyond its end, the field ahead was all that was left, and the crop stopped the glider almost at once. He saw the lever mistake only after stopping.
- Early return, no lift: About 20 minutes after launch the pilot gave up on finding a climb and returned to Kroměříž. He joined the downwind leg for RWY 02 at about 300 m AGL and lowered the landing gear.
- Gear lever moved, not the brakes: Wanting to lose height between the base turn and final, he moved the gear lever back instead of the airbrake lever. The two sit one above the other on the left wall, both pulled back to operate.
- Final at about 150 km/h: Turning final he was surprised by a speed of about 150 km/h, but did not connect it with the closed airbrakes or the raised gear. He tried to press the glider down a third of the way along.
- Bounce, then a low turn back: The glider bounced at once and he saw he could not stop it on what was left. Knowing a turn back at that height carried a high risk, he turned at the end of RWY 02 to land the other way on RWY 20.
- Second approach just as fast: Still unaware of the brakes, he crossed RWY 20 low and fast without touching it. A stream embankment lies beyond that runway's end, which left the field ahead as the only place to put the glider.
- Stopped dead by the crop: He landed in standing grain just left of the extended centreline, and the crop stopped the glider almost at once. The fin, skid, floating elevator and wing skin were damaged.