Introduction
On 13 July 2022, a SZD-30 "Pirat" sailplane, registration SP-3012, was involved in a serious incident during a landing at the EPRU aerodrome. The pilot, aged 40, had low aviation experience with a total flight time of 36 hours, including 1 hour and 17 minutes on the SZD-30 type with 8 take-offs. The purpose of the flight was to perform winch take-offs to improve landing technique.
Sequence of Events
During the third aerodrome circuit, the pilot reported being on the downwind leg. Between the downwind and base leg, the pilot performed additional turns that moved the glider away from the landing area, resulting in a flat approach at increased speed. During the touchdown, the pilot retracted the airbrakes. Due to excess kinetic energy, the glider bounced off the grassy runway. The pilot then rapidly deployed the airbrakes, which caused a decrease in speed, a drop, and a hard landing with a high sink rate. The landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage structure around the landing gear mount sustained structural damage. The glider was qualified for repair. The pilot did not suffer any injuries.
Causes
The investigation determined the following causes of the occurrence: pilot errors consisting of a flat approach to landing and touchdown at too high speed, which resulted in bouncing off the runway; and an incorrect pilot reaction by rapid deployment of the airbrakes on top of the bounce.
Contributing Factors
Three contributing factors were identified: low aviation experience as well as low experience on the SZD-30 "Pirat"; unnecessary turns during the aerodrome circuit and late decision to continue the approach to landing; and the pilot's failure to respond on-time to the flight director command to deploy the airbrakes.
Preventive Measures
The operator proposed and the Commission accepted the following preventive measures: before the next solo flight, the pilot performed 10 take-offs with an onboard instructor; the occurrence was discussed within the aeroclub pilots community, with special attention drawn to maintaining flight parameters and coping with emergency situations in flight.
Safety Recommendations
No safety recommendations were formulated by the Commission.