Incident Overview
On May 9, 2016, a student pilot departed from Przylep Airfield (EPZP) in Poland flying a SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider (registration SP-3115) for a local thermal flight. The aircraft was operated by Aeroklub Ziemi Lubuskiej.
Flight Sequence
After approximately 50 minutes of flight, the student pilot decided to land at the departure airfield. Entering the traffic pattern at about 400 meters above ground level, the glider was established on final approach at around 300 meters. The student opened the airbrakes to reduce altitude, at which point the glider encountered a region of very strong downdrafts, reported by the pilot as 6 m/s. In response, the student closed the airbrakes and increased airspeed to 120–130 km/h.
Decision to Land Off-Airfield
Rapidly losing altitude, the pilot determined that the glider might not clear a forest located ahead on the approach path to the airfield. Consequently, the student decided to land on a meadow before the forest. A left turn of approximately 130–140 degrees was executed at increased speed.
Landing and Aftermath
The glider made a hard touchdown, bounced, and then touched down again. During the ground roll, the student performed a ground loop to avoid collision with parked cars aligned with the landing direction. The glider sustained serious damage in the incident. The student pilot was not injured.
Cause
The accident was attributed to the glider, while on final approach, entering an area of very strong downdrafts.