Accident Overview
On 9 July 2017, a SZD-41A Jantar Standard glider sustained serious damage during a landing accident in a field near Mikołajskie, Poland. The pilot, who was conducting a training cross-country flight, was not injured.
Flight Details
The pilot had started a 220 km triangular route from Lisie-Kąty airfield at 12:21 LMT. Weather conditions were initially favorable, with broken cumulus clouds and good thermals. After releasing water ballast at 700 m altitude, the pilot struggled to find lift and descended to 300 m, at which point she selected a field for landing.
Landing and Accident
The pilot flew a circuit over the chosen field and, misjudging height, performed an extra circuit to lose altitude. On final approach, she visually estimated her height as just under 100 m and partially closed the air brakes just before touchdown in high rye crop (over 1 m tall). Almost simultaneously with touchdown, the glider lost directional control as one wing was braked by the crop. The pilot attempted to correct, but the glider tilted excessively, pivoted 180 degrees, and moved backward several meters before stopping.
Damage and Injuries
The glider was seriously damaged. The pilot exited the cockpit unaided and sustained no injuries. A breathalyzer test administered later at a police station returned a negative result.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined the probable cause of the accident was braking of one wing during landing in high crop. A contributing factor was landing with a tail-side wind.