Incident Overview
On 22 May 2020, a student pilot was conducting solo glider training at Piła airfield (EPPI) under the supervision of an instructor from the ground. The aircraft involved was a Twin Astir Trainer, registration SP-4070.
Sequence of Events
The student had completed four flights with the instructor and was cleared for two solo circuits. The first solo flight proceeded normally. During the second solo flight, after the fourth turn, the student lined up for runway 03 and reported "final for runway 03" by radio. The student moved the control stick forward to maintain a speed of approximately 120–125 km/h, then fully extended the airbrakes.
After a few moments, the student assessed that the descent path was too steep and risked an undershoot, so partially retracted the airbrakes. Noticing the speed decreasing to about 110 km/h, the student gently pushed the stick forward to increase speed to 115–120 km/h. The glider responded by entering a dive, which surprised the student. The student pulled back on the stick, but approximately 100 meters before the threshold of runway 03, the glider struck the grass surface with its main wheel.
Upon impact, the glider bounced to an estimated height of 5–7 meters while retaining sufficient forward speed to cover the remaining 100 meters to the intended touchdown point. The controls remained effective, and the student managed to control the glider from the bounce to the next contact with the airfield surface, completing a normal landing.
Damage
As a result of the impact with the ground, the main landing gear sustained damage.
Probable Cause
The incident was attributed to an error by the student pilot during landing, consisting of an improper correction of a high flare.