What happened
On April 30, 2011, at 17:11 local time, an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider departed from Białystok (EPBK) airport using a winch launch. The flight was a primary flight technique check (KTP/Z) conducted by a crew consisting of a student pilot and an instructor.
While attempting to locate thermals, the crew was unable to find sufficient lift and subsequently performed a series of turns within the airfield circuit. The third turn was completed at an altitude of 190 meters, followed by a fourth turn at 140 meters. The crew then stabilized the glider on a straight-in approach for landing on a heading of 65 degrees.
During the final phase of the approach, at an altitude of approximately 20 meters, the glider's horizontal stabilizer made contact with the treetop of a tree located near the airfield. The aircraft landed safely without further incident, though a minor injury was noted during the event.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the flight path and the altitude of the aircraft during the final approach. The investigators examined the sequence of maneuvers performed by the crew and the proximity of the aircraft to the obstacles located at the western edge of the airfield.