What happened
On May 22, 2020, at approximately 17:48 LMT, a SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider, registration SP-3206, was conducting winch-launched training flights at the Pomeranian Aero Club in Toruń (EPTO). The flight was part of a training program involving an instructor and a student pilot.
During the fourth turn of the right circuit, the instructor took control of the aircraft to execute a landing. As the glider transitioned to the landing straight, the instructor deployed the air brakes, intending to touchdown just beyond the runway threshold. During the final phase of the approach, the glider experienced a sudden loss of altitude and the tail skid struck the edge of an asphalt taxiway, approximately 150 meters before the runway threshold. The impact caused the rudder to detach from the vertical stabilizer. The aircraft continued to slide for about 170 meters before coming to a stop, veering to the right.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's condition following the impact, and the environmental factors present during the approach. The investigation confirmed that the rudder's upper and lower mounts on the vertical stabilizer had broken, and there was visible damage to the paintwork on both the rudder and elevator, as well as scratches near the tail skid area.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was instructor error, specifically an incorrect assessment of the conditions required for landing during the training flight.
- The pilot failed to close the air brakes in a timely manner and applied excessive back-pressure on the control stick prior to touchdown, which caused the tail to drop below the level of the main landing gear.
- The aircraft was flying through an area of turbulence caused by air eddies on the leeward side of hills located north of the aerodrome.
- The landing was performed directly into the sun, which likely hindered the pilot's ability to accurately judge the aircraft's altitude.