What happened
On May 25, 2016, a student pilot was conducting winch-launch training flights at the EPPT aerodrome. The flight began with a standard procedure involving three gliders performing thermal flights. Prior to the flight, the supervising instructor briefed the student on the established circuit pattern, accounting for light winds from 010 degrees at approximately 3.5 m/lar.
The takeoff, release, and circuit entry were executed correctly, and two-way communication was maintained between the student pilot and the supervising instructor. However, after the fourth turn, the instructor observed that the SZD-50-3 Puchacz was deviating to the left of the prescribed landing course. The instructor issued multiple commands to correct the heading to the right, but the student pilot failed to react to these instructions.
During the final approach, the glider's left wing struck the seatback of a tractor used for glider retrieval, approximately one meter from the wingtip. The aircraft then flew at an extremely low altitude over the airfield square—forcing the instructor to take cover to avoid being struck—before touching down on the runway shoulder at the height of the windsock. During the landing roll, the aircraft drifted slightly to the left.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight logs and the student pilot's recent training history. At the time of the accident, the student had a total flight time of 12 hours and 20 minutes, with only 1 hour and 22 minutes of solo experience. Previous flights in the 2016 season had been assessed as satisfactory by the instructor.
The student pilot admitted to incorrectly compensating for the crosswind, which caused the deviation from the runway centerline. While the student confirmed hearing the instructor's commands, she could not provide a rational explanation for her failure to follow them.
Findings
- The student pilot applied an excessive wind correction during the approach.
- The student pilot failed to react to the instructor's verbal commands during the flight.