Incident Summary
On 1 October 2019, a glider LS-1, registration SP-3826, experienced an incident during a flight near Mount Żar in the Roczyny area. The pilot, who was conducting a soaring and wave flight, encountered strong downdrafts and subsequently performed a forced landing. The glider sustained damage during the landing, but the pilot was not injured.
Sequence of Events
The flight originated from the Mountain Gliding School 'Żar' airfield (EPZR). Approximately at 16:30 LMT, while in the vicinity of the Kiczera mountain peak, the glider entered an area of strong sinking air currents. The pilot allowed the altitude to decrease to a point where a return to EPZR was not possible. Consequently, the pilot decided to land in unprepared terrain and directed the glider toward a valley. A field in Roczyny was selected as suitable for landing.
During the landing roll, the field's transverse furrows caused the glider's landing gear to strike an earth embankment approximately 0.2 to 0.3 meters high. The impact resulted in the canopy detaching, followed by the left wing contacting the ground. The glider then ground-looped, during which the tail section twisted off.
After the glider came to a stop, the pilot exited the cockpit unaided and notified the flight director of the incident.
Findings
The investigation determined that the incident occurred due to pilot error. The pilot descended below the altitude necessary to ensure a return to EPZR. Contributing factors included the selection of an unsuitable emergency landing field and the presence of strong rotor areas in wave conditions.
Cause and Contributing Factors
Probable cause: Pilot error in descending below the height ensuring a return to EPZR.
Contributing factors:
- Selection of unsuitable emergency landing terrain.
- Occurrence of strong rotor areas in wave conditions.