Incident Overview
On 29 September 2018, a glider training flight was conducted at Szymanów airstrip near Wrocław (EPWS) as part of an association's statutory activities under the Sailplane Training Programme for SPL license. Takeoffs and landings were performed on runway heading 320°. A 34-year-old student pilot, holding a valid Class 2 medical certificate, with a total glider flight time of 16 hours 31 minutes (including 2 hours 12 minutes solo), prepared for his first tow launch on the SZD-51-1 'Junior' glider. He had previously been trained on three glider types and held qualifications for winch and aerotow launches. His last aerotow flight was on 21 September 2018.
Sequence of Events
Before the flight, the instructor performed a pre-flight inspection of the glider and briefed the student on the specifics of the Junior's aerotow launch. The student then took his seat, and the instructor checked the canopy closure twice; the first attempt was incorrect. At 16:15 local time, the tow commenced. During the takeoff roll, the glider's left wing dropped to the ground, causing a deviation of about 25–30° to the left. The student attempted to correct the direction but used overly abrupt control inputs, causing the glider to become airborne at too low an airspeed. Consequently, the glider stalled, struck the ground, bounced, and became airborne again. The instructor commanded "Junior, release!" but the student did not obey, later stating he did not hear the command. The glider bounced off the ground two more times before the student finally released the tow rope. During these impacts, the canopy glazing was destroyed. After release, at a height of about 0.5 m, the glider's left wing again contacted the ground, initiating a left spin, followed by a hard landing and a ground loop during the rollout.
Damage and Injuries
The glider sustained serious damage, including delamination of the horizontal stabilizer, damage to the elevator attachment, fuselage damage in the forward section (cracked skin on the upper fuselage), and destruction of the canopy. The student pilot, who exited the glider unassisted, was not injured. A police breathalyzer test showed zero alcohol in his system.
Cause and Contributing Factors
The cause of the incident was the student pilot's error in failing to decide to release the tow rope after losing directional control during takeoff. Contributing factors were the student's limited solo flight experience (2 hours 12 minutes) and the emotional factor associated with his first aerotow launch in that glider type.
Safety Actions
The operating organization discussed the incident at pre-flight briefings with trainee and qualified glider pilots. The student pilot was advised to undergo check flights with an instructor, and his release for solo flights was made conditional on the results and a positive opinion from the Head of Training. The State Commission on Aircraft Accident Investigation (PKBWL) issued no safety recommendations.