Incident Overview
On 12 May 2020, a 37-year-old glider pilot with 1,400 hours of glider experience was conducting a thermal flight in a SZD-48-3 Jantar Standard 3 glider (registration SP-3743) from the Bełchatów-Kołduny airfield. The flight began at 10:36 LMT. At 16:42, the pilot initiated an approach to land.
Sequence of Events
The approach and landing were reportedly normal. However, the glider touched down midway along the runway and was unable to stop before reaching a glider trailer parked at the end of the runway. The right wing of the glider struck the trailer, resulting in minor damage to the leading edge.
Cause and Contributing Factors
The Polish State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation (PKBWL) determined that the cause of the incident was an error during the approach: miscalculation of the landing resulting in an overshoot and too late touchdown. A contributing factor was the incomplete opening of the spoilers due to restricted movement of the pilot's left arm caused by bulky winter clothing.