What happened
On August 4, 2019, an ASG 29 glider departed from the Polska Nowa Wieś airfield (EPOP) for a planned gliding flight, with the intention of returning to the departure airfield. The flight was conducted under favorable thermal conditions. During the landing phase, the pilot initiated a headwind approach to runway 31. However, the aircraft touched down heavily because the pilot failed to perform the flare maneuver.
Following the impact, the glider came to a stop on the runway, and the pilot vacated the cockpit. There were no injuries reported as a result of the incident. The impact caused damage to the aircraft's landing gear and compromised the structural integrity of the seat pan.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation established that the glider was airworthy and properly insured at the time of the event. The pilot was fully qualified for the flight and possessed significant experience, with a total flight time of 1,021 hours on gliders.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a pilot error involving the omission of the flare phase during the landing approach.
- No contributing circumstances were identified.