Occurrence
On 7 July 2018, at approximately 14:13 local time, a 51-year-old student pilot with a total flight time of 40 hours (including 2 hours 11 minutes solo) was conducting a flight on an SZD-51-1 Junior glider from Zamość airfield (EPZA). This flight was the pilot's first on the glider type as part of a type conversion, and it was his third flight of the day. Earlier that day, he had completed two check flights on an SZD-50-3 Puchacz after a one-month break from flying. The supervising instructor noted no issues with the flight up to the landing phase.
During the final approach, in the flare, the student pilot closed the air brakes and touched down with excessive speed, causing the glider to bounce (a "kangaroo" effect). Upon the second touchdown, the glider veered significantly to the left of the landing axis. The loss of directional control resulted in the glider leaving the designated landing runway, crossing the painted start markers, and striking a parked car—a winch cable puller—with the left wingtip. The supervising instructor did not intervene or issue radio commands in time to correct the situation.
Causes
The investigation identified two causes for the incident: 1. An error in landing technique that led to a loss of directional control during the rollout. 2. The supervising instructor's failure to react to the landing irregularities.
Contributing Factors
Contributing factors included the presence of the parked car in close proximity to the landing strip and a lack of systematic training, characterized by long breaks and single flights.
Preventative Actions
The operator implemented several preventative actions. The student pilot was required to successfully complete task SPL-IV before continuing training. A methodical meeting for instructors was organized. Instructors were advised to exercise greater vigilance regarding student pilot errors and to pay attention to the organization of launches, considering both fixed and moving obstacles.
Safety Recommendations
The investigating commission did not formulate any safety recommendations.