What happened
On August 21, 2021, during the Leszno Cup 2023 glider competitions at Strzyżowice (EPLS), a serious incident occurred involving a UL Skylane Towmaster (OK-YOU-34) and a Jantar Std 3 glider (SP-3648). While the glider team was preparing for takeoff, a paraglider had recently completed a winch launch and disconnected its cable.
As the aircraft and glider began their initial climb, the pilot of the towing aircraft noticed the descending paraglider cable and performed an abrupt right turn to avoid it. However, the glider pilot was unable to replicate the maneuver in time, causing the left wing of the Jantar Std 3 to strike the cable. The cable became wrapped around the glider. The winch operator reacted quickly by cutting the cable with a guillotine, allowing the glider to remain airborne. Due to the significant drag from the trailing cable, the glider pilot lost airspeed rapidly and elected to perform an emergency landing straight ahead into a cornfield. The landing was hard, causing damage to the cockpit locking pins, but there were no injuries to the crew.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the coordination between different flight groups operating simultaneously. The investigation established that the takeoff paths for the gliders (Runway 23) and the paragliders (Taxiway A) were at a 30-degree intersection, creating a collision risk.
Investigators found that there was no single designated flight controller for the combined operations; instead, the glider and paraglider groups each had their own controllers. While radio communication was maintained, the controllers did not coordinate their specific responsibilities or the exact takeoff locations. Furthermore, the glider flight controller was primarily focused on managing glider approaches from the east and did not closely monitor the airspace on the takeoff heading.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the conflicting takeoff directions between the glider and paraglider operations.
- There was no unified flight controller appointed to manage the combined traffic, leading to a lack of oversight regarding the total airspace situation.
- The glider flight controller failed to adequately monitor the airspace on the takeoff path during the launch.
- The paraglider controller did not confirm the cable disconnection via radio, which would have alerted other pilots to the presence of a descending cable.
- The pilot of the towing aircraft had limited visibility due to the high-wing configuration of the UL Skylane Towmaster, placing the descending cable in a blind spot.