What happened
On June 8, 2019, a SZD 48-1 Jantar Standard 2 glider, registration SP-3258, operated by Aeroklub Krakowski, was engaged in a cross-country soaring flight. The flight originated from the Pobiednik Wielki airfield (EPKP) via a winch launch. After successfully finding thermal lift, the pilot proceeded toward Kielce-Masłów.
During the return leg, at an altitude of approximately 800 meters AGL, the pilot reported entering active glider zones. However, as the aircraft descended to about 500 meters AGL, the pilot encountered a loss of thermal lift. Due to the lack of rising air, the pilot decided to perform an emergency landing in an unprepared field near Wola Batorska.
While searching for a suitable landing site, the pilot initially considered a meadow near the Vistula River but abandoned the idea due to concerns regarding the accessibility of the glider trailer. The pilot eventually selected a field in Wola Bargo. During the final approach, the pilot misjudged the distance to road signs located at the edge of the field, perceiving them to be further away than they actually were. As the aircraft descended to approximately 120 meters AGL, the pilot realized the field was shorter than anticipated and attempted to touchdown at the very beginning of the strip. During the maneuver, the glider struck a road sign, causing the aircraft to rotate left and skid across the terrain before coming to a stop after a 210-degree turn.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot was fully qualified, held a valid medical certificate, and was not under the influence of alcohol. The SZD 48-1 Jantar Standard 2 was found to be airworthy, properly documented, and insured. The investigation also noted that while the weather conditions were suitable for VFR flight, the pilot had not performed any thermal training flights in this specific glider during 2019 and had not notified the supervising instructor of the intention to perform the cross-country flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to decide on an emergency landing at a sufficient altitude.
- The pilot selected a landing field at too low an altitude.
- The pilot misjudged the distance to obstacles (road signs) due to an optical illusion or misperception of the distance.
- Contributing factors included the pilot's lack of recent thermal training in this specific aircraft type and the failure to communicate flight plans to the supervising instructor.