History of Flight
On 4 August 2018, at 13:36 local time, a DG-600 18m glider, registration SP-3713, departed from Rudniki airfield on a tow behind an aircraft. The pilot planned a cross-country flight to Masłów and back. After release at 450 m, the pilot gained altitude and began the route. Approximately 18 km from the turn point, the pilot decided to return to Rudniki due to rapidly developing thunderstorm clouds. At about 20 km from Rudniki, the glider entered intense rain with high sink rates, reaching up to 10 m/s. At 9 km from the airfield and 500 m altitude, the pilot chose to land in an open field. During a downwind landing, the glider bounced twice, the right wing struck the ground, breaking off the wing tip. The glider then rotated 180° in the air and came to rest tail-first. The pilot exited the cockpit without injury.
Aircraft Damage
The glider's right wing was damaged: the 18 m wing tip extension was broken off, the flap end was fractured, the attaching pin was bent, the leading edge was damaged, the wing tip pin sleeve was torn out, and the wing covering was damaged.
Pilot Information
The 52-year-old male pilot held a valid glider pilot license (SPL) with endorsements for aerotow and winch launches. His total flight time was 968 hours and 6 minutes.
Probable Causes
The investigation determined the following causes: 1. The pilot's erroneous decision to plan a cross-country flight that was too long given the forecast of thunderstorm development along the route in the afternoon. 2. The pilot's erroneous decision to approach the airfield through an area affected by cumulonimbus clouds in their final stage of development. 3. Landing in an unprepared field under adverse weather conditions.
Contributing factors included the pilot's desire to complete the flight at the airfield and avoid an off-field landing, as well as operating under time pressure and stress due to heavy rain and high sink.