Introduction
On 13 August 2018, at 13:57 LMT, a SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider departed from Lisie Kąty airfield (EPGI) for a training flight. The crew consisted of a student pilot and an instructor. The flight was conducted under task SPL V-1, a thermal training exercise.
Flight Details
Around 15:30 LMT, due to decreasing thermal activity, the instructor decided to return to the airfield and land. The crew reported to the flight director that they were entering the traffic pattern for runway 31 on a downwind leg and were assigned landing order "one". After the fourth turn, the glider was at an altitude of 160–180 m. The wind was a crosswind from the left at 1–2 m/s.
Accident
During the flare, at a height of approximately 2 m, the glider stalled, resulting in a hard landing. The glider's speed during the flare was 90–95 km/h, and the airbrake lever was positioned at three-quarters of its full range. After touchdown, the glider began to veer left, finally stopping at an angle of about 45 degrees from the landing axis, just in front of two waiting SZD-30 Pirat gliders.
Injuries and Damage
The student pilot did not sustain any injuries. The instructor complained of back pain and was assisted out of the cockpit by personnel on the glider square. He was subsequently transported by ambulance to the Regional Specialist Hospital in Grudziądz, where examination revealed a fracture of the L1 vertebral body. Inspection of the glider showed damage to the main landing gear fork.
Cause
According to the investigation, the accident was caused by the instructor's lack of reaction to the glider's excessive flare height and loss of speed while the airbrakes were extended.
Aftermath
No safety recommendations were issued by the commission. As a preventive measure, the operator planned to discuss the event during the next flight safety meeting, with emphasis on the importance of not granting excessive autonomy to student pilots regardless of their skill level.