What happened
On July 22, 2020, a SZD-51-1 Junior glider, registration SP-3460, was performing a 500 km conditional cross-country flight originating from EPOM airfield. During the final stage of the flight, the pilot encountered a loss of thermal lift, which necessitated an unplanned landing in an unprepared field near Strzyżew. The pilot had previously selected this field for landing and attempted to approach into the wind.
During the landing roll, the glider's left wing struck a concrete post located at the edge of the field. This impact caused the aircraft to spin 180 degrees in an unintended circle. The aircraft sustained severe damage, though the pilot escaped the incident without any injuries.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the selection of the landing site and the execution of the landing roll. The investigation examined the pilot's flight duration, the visibility of obstacles in the chosen field, and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was likely the pilot's incorrect planning of the landing and the subsequent landing roll when performing the off-field landing.
- Concrete posts located at the boundary of the selected landing area were difficult to detect.
- The pilot was experiencing fatigue and reduced perception following a flight duration exceeding nine hours.
- The landing was performed into the sun, which further hindered visibility.