What happened
On April 22, 2018, at approximately 14:20 LMT, a Cessna 182 carrying four skydivers departed from Polska Nowa Wieś Airport (EPOP). During the takeoff roll, the pilot announced the intention to depart via radio. At the same time, a paraglider was being launched using a car-mounted winch system on the same runway.
As the aircraft entered the climb phase, the pilot adjusted the flight path slightly to the right to avoid wind rotors from a nearby forest. At an altitude of approximately 250 feet, the pilot felt a sudden jolt and noticed the skydivers attempting to communicate something to him. It was later determined that the right wing of the aircraft had struck the descending cable from the paraglider winch. The impact caused the cable to break and separate from the aircraft.
Following the impact, the pilot maintained the climb and monitored engine parameters. After reaching an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet and dropping the skydivers, the pilot performed a landing configuration check. Upon landing, a small area of paint loss (approximately 6 cm x 1 cm) was noted on the wing, but no structural damage was found. The aircraft landed safely without further incident.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation established several critical failures in communication and oversight. The pilot had announced his intention to depart but received no radio response; due to the lack of feedback, he assumed the airspace was clear. Simultaneously, the paraglider winch crew reacted to the approaching aircraft by quickly retrieving the cable, which led to the contact.
Several technical and operational issues were identified:
- The paraglider was positioned in a blind spot, obscured by the upper edge of the aircraft's windshield.
- The skydive section's primary radio was non-functional due to a dead battery, forcing the use of a backup radio installed in a vehicle.
- There was a total lack of radio communication between the different flight sections (skydiving and paragliding) operating at the airfield.
- The airfield management and the person responsible for the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) had not been notified that three different sections were conducting independent operations that day.
- A valid NOTAM was in place excluding runway 12/30 due to trees, yet the incident occurred on this runway.
Findings
- Lack of radio communication between the various flight sections performing activities at the airfield.
- A lack of operational oversight regarding the various flight sections of the Opole Aero Club.
- The pilot's belief that the airspace was clear, combined with limited visibility from the cockpit and the absence of radio contact, led to the collision with the descending winch cable.