What happened
On September 29, 2018, a student pilot was performing an aerotow flight at the Szymanów airfield (EPWS) near Wrocław, Poland, as part of a glider training program. The flight involved an SZD-51-1 Junior being towed by an aircraft. Prior to the flight, an instructor had performed a pre-flight inspection and briefed the student on the specific characteristics of the takeoff.
During the takeoff roll, the left wing of the glider dropped to the ground, causing the aircraft to deviate from its heading by approximately 25 to 30 degrees to the left. In an attempt to correct the course, the student pilot applied overly aggressive control inputs, which caused the glider to lift off at an insufficient airspeed. The glider subsequently struck the ground, bounced, and briefly returned to the air.
Despite the instructor issuing the command to release the towline, the student pilot failed to comply, later stating they did not hear the instruction. The glider bounced off the ground two more times, during which the cockpit canopy was destroyed. After releasing the towline at an altitude of approximately 0.5 meters, the left wing caught the ground again, causing the glider to rotate left and undergo a hard landing followed by a ground loop. The student pilot exited the aircraft uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the user's commission, examined the flight sequence, the student's experience, and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot had a total of 16 hours and 31 minutes of flight time, with only 2 hours and 12 minutes of solo experience. The investigation also noted that the cockpit canopy had been improperly closed during the first of two checks performed by the instructor.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a pilot error involving the student's failure to decide to release the towline immediately after the loss of directional control.
- The student's limited solo flight experience contributed to the difficulty in managing the excursion.
- Emotional factors related to performing the first aerotow takeoff in this specific aircraft type influenced the pilot's reaction.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a delaminated horizontal stabilizer, damaged elevator attachment, fuselage cracks, and a destroyed canopy.