What happened
On May 18, 2018, at approximately 08:00 LMT, a PZL-101 Gawron was performing a glider tow approach at the Leszno-Strzyżewice (EPLS) aerodrome. During the final phase of the approach, the aircraft descended to an insufficient altitude. As a result, the trailing end of the tow cable snagged a vehicle traveling on a road located at the eastern edge of the airfield.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator's commission, reviewed the pilot's experience and the operational circumstances of the flight. It was established that while the pilot had been certified for glider towing since 2014, their primary experience in this role was on a Morane MS 893A, which is equipped with a cable winch. At the time of the incident, the pilot had a total flight time of 310 hours, with 250 hours as pilot-in-command, but only 14 hours of experience specifically on the PZL-101 Gawron.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure to maintain a safe altitude margin during the landing approach while the tow cable was deployed.
- Contributing factors included the pilot's limited experience operating this specific aircraft type and limited experience performing towing operations with an extended cable.
Safety action
Following the incident, the operator conducted a briefing with all towing pilots. This session focused on reviewing the event and discussing the different landing characteristics between aircraft types, specifically addressing the unique risks associated with those differences.