Accident Overview
On 17 August 2012, at 17:36 local time, a student pilot was conducting a solo flight in a SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider at Słupsk Krępa airport. The flight was part of training exercise 6, task A/IV, focused on preparation for thermal flights and landings in unprepared terrain. The student pilot, a 43-year-old male with a total flight time of 40 hours and 32 minutes (256 flights, including 49 solo flights totaling 3 hours and 17 minutes), had previously completed three flights with an instructor earlier that day and six the day before. The instructor decided that further dual flights were unnecessary and might undermine the student's confidence, so a solo flight was proposed and accepted.
Sequence of Events
Before the flight, a briefing covered the day's tasks. The glider was launched on runway 28 with a wind of 320-330° at 3 m/s. The lower limit landing mark was set 150 meters from the start of the runway. The student pilot completed a normal takeoff, circuit, and approach. During the final approach, the glider was lined up at an angle of 15-20° with proper direction and speed, aiming to land between the lower limit mark and the arrow. However, the student did not flare the glider and failed to respond to the instructor's radio command "Level out!" ("Wyrównaj!"). As a result, the glider touched down simultaneously on the main wheel and nose wheel, bounced to about 0.5 meters, and then landed again on the main wheel.
Damage and Injuries
Post-flight inspection revealed tearing of the nose wheel cover and a crack in the fuselage frame. No injuries were reported; the student pilot was unharmed.
Cause of the Accident
The investigation determined that the damage to the fuselage structure indicated that the nose wheel absorbed more impact energy. The cause of the accident was an incorrect assessment of height during the final approach and a delayed flare, resulting in the glider touching down primarily on the nose wheel. The student may have been over-focused on avoiding a previous mistake of undershooting, leading to the late flare. The student had not made such a flare error in any previous flights.
Post-Accident Actions
Preventive measures included requiring the student to complete five dual flights with proper landing profiles, three check flights with a Class I instructor before solo flights, and ten solo flights under the supervision of a Class I instructor. The incident was to be discussed with all student and glider pilots. No safety recommendations were issued.
Weather and Environmental Factors
The flight intensity and lack of heat on the day of the accident ruled out fatigue as a factor according to the supervising instructor. The student suggested that sun glare during landing might have contributed to the delayed flare, but the investigation committee considered the sun's high elevation at 17:36 on August 17 unlikely to be a significant hindrance for a student with the student's experience level.