Incident Overview
On 27 June 2004, a SZD-9bis 1E Bocian glider was involved in an accident at EPLL airport during a flight to drop a parachutist. Both the glider pilot and the parachutist were performing this type of operation for the first time. Prior to the flight, an instructor briefed the parachutist on exiting the cockpit and moving onto the wing, as well as the glider's handling characteristics with a person on the wing.
Sequence of Events
The takeoff and flight proceeded normally until the parachutist began to exit the cockpit. The pilot positioned the glider into the wind and, maintaining a speed of 110 km/h, signaled the parachutist to leave the cockpit. The parachutist started moving toward the wing tip. When the parachutist was about two-thirds of the way along the wing, the pilot noticed the wing beginning to flex downward. The pilot gestured for the parachutist to separate from the glider, but the parachutist continued moving while seated on the wing panel, reaching the wing tip.
Unable to maintain lateral balance, the pilot entered a right, relatively tight turn. At that moment, the parachutist slipped backward and sideways, bracing with his left hand against the aileron and, in the final phase, grabbing the tip of the skid before separating from the glider. The parachutist later reported that at one point "the wing slipped out from under him" and he instinctively straightened, causing his parachute to contact the wing and his elbow to press against the aileron.
Immediately after separation, the pilot noticed damage to the wing tip. He checked the glider's controllability, deployed the spoilers, and in a gentle descent landed without further incident at the airport. The parachutist also landed safely on the airfield.
Findings
During post-incident discussion, the parachutist did not recall whether the pre-flight briefing specified how far along the wing he could move, but he believed he was allowed to go to the end of the white paint on the wing panel.
The accident resulted in damage to the wing tip. No injuries were reported.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the parachutist's failure to comply with the pilot's command to separate from the glider.