Accident Sequence
On 26 August 2017, a student pilot was conducting winch launch flights on a SZD-9bis Bocian glider during primary training at Łódź-Lublinek (EPLL). During the second solo launch, approximately 4-5 seconds after transitioning from shallow to steep climb, at an altitude of about 80 m, the winch cable broke. The pilot secured the airspeed by transitioning from climb to glide and released the cable end. Shortly thereafter, the supervising instructor observed the glider again increasing its angle of attack and banking left from the launch direction. The instructor radioed the pilot to push the stick forward to gain speed. The pilot reacted correctly, but shortly after, the glider again lost speed. The instructor again commanded the pilot to push the stick forward, secure speed, and land straight ahead. The pilot responded by securing speed and opening the airbrakes to begin the approach. The glider touched down at an increased speed and bounced, performing a "kangaroo" landing. After the second touchdown, during the landing roll, the glider veered off the runway. The left wingtip struck a STOP sign located on the service road west of the grass runway, causing damage to the wingtip and rotating the glider 180° about its vertical axis relative to the landing direction. The glider came to rest approximately 20 m beyond the sign. The pilot sustained no injuries.
Pilot Information
The student pilot, aged 35, was undergoing training for a glider pilot license (SPL). His total flight time was 6 hours 25 minutes, with a total of 65 flights on this type. On the day of the accident, he had completed 6 flights, including 4 check flights with an instructor. This was his second solo flight. The previous day, he had flown 5 flights with an instructor. He held a valid Class 2 aviation medical certificate, valid until 22 July 2022. A breath alcohol test was negative.
Probable Causes and Contributing Circumstances
The investigation identified two probable causes: 1) A probably too abrupt change in climb angle, which may have contributed to the cable break; 2) The decision to land straight ahead was made too late.
Contributing circumstances included:
- The student pilot's time deficit associated with the low-altitude emergency;
- The launch with a tailwind component.
Post-Accident Actions
The operator conducted a detailed inspection of winch cables, provided training for pilots and student pilots on emergency and unsafe situation procedures, organized a staff briefing discussing the accident, and decided to place additional emphasis during training on securing airspeed in various launch phases and maintaining proper launch phases. No safety recommendations were issued.