Summary
On 25 October 2021, at Żar airfield near Żywiec (EPZR), a SZD-51-1 Junior glider (registration SP-3424) operated by the Górskiej Szkoły Szybowcowej „Żar” experienced an accident during landing. The pilot, holder of a SPL license, sustained serious injuries and the glider was substantially damaged.
Incident Details
The flight began at 13:04 with a tow launch. The pilot released from tow at 500 m AGL on the windward (southern) side of Mount Żar. Initially soaring, the glider reached approximately 2000 m AGL using thermal and wave lift. After over two hours, the pilot decided to return to the airfield.
The landing approach started from 400 m AGL above the gliding school building. While descending on a direction opposite to the landing direction, the pilot noted strong turbulence. During a left turn (into the wind) in the pattern, the glider significantly overshot the runway centerline, ending up on the windward (right) side. The pilot then turned to final approach with a strong tail-side wind from the right. The final approach was flown with full airbrakes extended and at too low an airspeed. The flight director issued a radio command to "close airbrakes and maintain speed." The pilot did not respond. At an altitude of a few meters above ground, the glider stalled, dropped abruptly, and struck the runway surface, bouncing twice. During the second bounce (a kangaroo), the right wing contacted the ground, causing the glider to yaw sharply to the right by approximately 170 degrees. After the accident, the pilot exited the cockpit unaided.
Cause
The accident resulted from an error in piloting technique: maintaining too low speed during approach to landing in conditions of strong turbulence with a tail-side wind.
Contributing Factors
Wind gusts up to approximately 10 m/s, which, given the specific terrain of the Żar gliding site, created lee areas, zones of strong descending air, changes in wind direction in the valley, and associated turbulence.
Aftermath
The pilot held valid qualifications and a medical certificate. The glider was insured and had the required technical and operational documentation. No safety recommendations were formulated.