L-13 Blaník hits treetops turning for a field after sinking in a lee rotor on final

On final to Letkov with a passenger aboard, an L-13 Blaník met heavy sink in a lee rotor; the pilot turned away late to land in the valley and the right wingtip caught treetops; both were unhurt and the glider was destroyed. The pilot flew the right-hand circuit in a south-easterly of 10 to 12 kt, turned base at 260 m above the airfield and finished the final turn at 100 m, 1,200 m from the threshold. Over a steep slope above the Úslava valley the glider sank to 50 m above airfield level, too low for the runway or the crest. The pilot turned left along the hillside for a field near Koterov; the right wingtip struck trees just below the crest.

1. Local flight with a passenger: On an organised club flying day the pilot took a passenger on a local thermal flight, aerotowed behind an ultralight to 900 m above Letkov, then flew a few turns south of the field.
2. South-easterly over a steep slope: A south-easterly of 10 to 12 kt blew across a steep slope above the Úslava valley west of the airfield, setting up a lee rotor in the approach path to RWY 08L.
3. Base turn at 260 m, late for the wind: The pilot joined the right-hand circuit downwind at 325 m above the airfield and turned base at 260 m, too late for the south-easterly in the report's finding, then lowered the flaps.
4. Heavy sink after the final turn: The final turn ended at 100 m above the airfield some 1,200 m from the threshold. In the rotor the glider sank hard; the pilot relocked the airbrakes and raised the flaps but kept the approach going.
5. Too low for the field or the crest: About 1 km out, over the valley at roughly 50 m above airfield level, the glider could reach neither the runway nor the top of the slope below the Koterov viewpoint.
6. Late turn towards a valley field: The pilot turned left close along the slope, meaning to land in a field near Koterov; the right wingtip caught the tops of tall trees just below the crest.
7. Hung in the trees, crew roped down: The glider lodged 6 m up in the branches at about 60° of left bank. Both occupants were unhurt and were roped down by the fire service; the airframe was destroyed.