Incident Overview
On May 11, 2011, at 17:31 local time, a glider pilot took off from Gliwice Airport (EPGL) towed by an aircraft for a training thermal flight. The glider, a SZD-51-1 Junior, landed at 19:30. The pilot assessed the landing as having a "drop," while the Head of Training of the Gliwice Aero Club, based on ground marks 2.5 meters long, determined that the glider touched down without a flare phase or with a late flare.
Sequence of Events
The glider touched down hard, causing it to bounce. It then touched down again after 13 meters. During the subsequent 56-meter rollout, the right wing contacted the runway surface, causing the glider to yaw approximately 140° to the right before coming to a stop. The landing occurred on the northwest part of the usable grass area, where grass height was 15-20 cm.
Damage
The glider sustained damage to the structure of the front cockpit area near the rudder pedal controls and a whitened closing rib on the left wing near the auxiliary fitting.
Causes
The investigation identified two causes: 1. An error in landing technique resulting in a hard touchdown, which led to a bounce and a second touchdown. 2. The glider's wing contacting the runway surface, causing a yaw during the rollout phase.
Investigation Notes
The Polish State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation (PKBWL) did not receive a final report from the Gliwice Aero Club despite reminders. The Commission closed the investigation based solely on the initial notification as there were no formal means to compel the user to complete the investigation.