What happened
On May 20, 2016, an LS-4 glider, registration D-2262, departed from Pobiednik Wielki airport for a training thermal flight. During the flight, the pilot lost contact with rising air currents, resulting in a low altitude that necessitated an emergency landing in an unprepared field.
While approaching the initially selected field, the pilot identified an alternative landing site to the right, which featured a well-maintained grass surface. However, the pilot noted that this runway was short, bounded by a river embankment on one side and tall trees on the other. While flying along the landing strip, the pilot initiated the turn to the final approach too early, resulting in an excessively high approach path. In an attempt to bleed off airspeed, the pilot fully deployed the aerodynamic brakes.
As the aircraft passed over the embankment, the pilot realized there was insufficient runway length to stop before reaching the trees at the end of the strip. To mitigate this, the pilot altered the flight path approximately 30° to the right, aiming for an adjacent plowed field in hopes of a shorter landing roll. During the final stages of the landing roll, the pilot executed a circling maneuver to avoid the trees; however, the tip of the left wing struck one of the trees, causing significant damage to the wing structure. The pilot sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making process and the execution of the landing maneuvers under time-constrained conditions. The investigation examined the sequence of maneuvers following the loss of lift and the subsequent change in landing site selection.