No fatalities

12 May 2013: PDPS PZL-BIELSKO SZD-55-1 — Zlatko Sitar — Henderson, NC

Henderson, NC, United States

On 12 May 2013, a PDPS PZL-BIELSKO SZD-55-1 operated by Zlatko Sitar was involved in an aviation accident near Henderson, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A loss of aerodynamic lift that resulted in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A glider pilot made a forced landing in a field after encountering sink. During landing, the left wing struck a rut, causing a ground loop and partial tailboom separation.

Incident Overview

A glider pilot reported that while returning to the airport after approximately three hours of soaring, the glider encountered a sink. The aircraft descended 2,500 feet before the pilot found a more favorable air mass. At that point, the glider was too low to reach the airport, and the pilot chose to land in a field.

Approach and Landing

On final approach, the pilot observed that the field had deep ruts. However, he was committed to landing. During the landing roll, the left wing contacted a rut, causing the glider to ground-loop. The ground-loop resulted in partial separation of the tailboom.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider.

Contributing factors

Effect on operationAttain/maintain not possible