What happened
On July 28, 2015, an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider, registration SP-3257, was involved in a hard landing at the Lublin-Radawiec airport (EPLR). The aircraft, operated by Aeroklub Lubelski w Radawcu, had accumulated a total of 2,035 flight hours and 7,616 flight cycles prior to the incident.
During a subsequent technical inspection, which was being conducted in accordance with the manufacturer's maintenance manual, ground crews discovered significant structural damage. Specifically, the inspection revealed a crack in the main landing gear structure and damage to the lower section of the fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the aircraft operator, focused on the physical condition of the airframe following the landing. The inspection process was able to identify the specific points of failure within the landing gear and the fuselage structure.