Accident Summary
On 1 August 2018 at 16:39 LT, a Jantar Std 3 glider piloted by a glider pilot (SPL) participating in a regional club class A glider competition performed an off-field landing near the village of Czarne, Kaliska commune. The glider was seriously damaged, but the pilot was not injured. The official report states the accident occurred during a racing task on a closed circuit of 282 km with four turning points.
Flight and Weather Conditions
The glider was tow-launched and released at 600 m AGL. The pilot flew in deteriorating weather conditions, avoiding rain after the second turning point. The final kilometers to the third turning point were flown in rain. At about 700 m, the pilot headed toward the destination airport but encountered rain and a forested area, prompting a search for a suitable landing field. A field was identified, but the pilot continued seeking lift. Increasing rain caused a higher sink rate, and dynamic vertical currents in the turbulent atmosphere forced a return to the previously chosen field.
Approach and Landing
At approximately 250 m AGL, the pilot saw that the landing field was behind a forested hill and approached using S-turns with slightly open airbrakes. Wind gusts on the leeward side of the hill caused turbulence and sudden increased sink, so the pilot turned back toward the field, resulting in overshooting. To lose height, the pilot performed a slip, but still had significant excess height and speed upon reaching the field. The glider touched down halfway into the field, and wheel braking proved insufficient. To avoid crossing a road onto a meadow, the pilot applied left rudder and moved the control stick left and aft, causing the glider to plow into the ground. After hitting uneven terrain, the glider ground-looped, crossed an unpaved road, and stopped beyond it.
Damage
The glider sustained serious damage including a twisted tail section, broken right elevator, canopy torn from its locks, and the instrument panel broken from its mounts. The glider was classified as requiring a major overhaul.
Probable Cause
The official report identifies the probable cause as a decision to land in an unprepared field made too late in unfavorable weather conditions, resulting in the construction of a landing maneuver in a time deficit in random terrain.