What happened
On July 15, 2022, a SZD-51-1 Junior glider, registration SP-3437, departed from Zamoście airport for a planned 216 km cross-country flight. After approximately three hours of flight, the pilot encountered sinking air (descending air at 2 m/s) while flying over a forested area.
Under significant stress, the pilot attempted to find thermal lift to regain altitude but eventually decided to perform an emergency landing in an unprepared field near Rapy Dylańskie. The pilot performed one and a half circuits at an altitude of approximately 100 m. The landing approach was made in an easterly direction with a tailwind of 27 km/h. The aircraft touched down at a ground speed of approximately 130 km/h, past the halfway point of the 130-meter field. In an attempt to avoid hitting trees at the end of the field, the pilot used the rudder to change the direction of the rollout, causing the left wingtip to strike trees at approximately 40 km/h.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the pilot's flight history, the aircraft's technical condition, and the meteorological environment. The investigation established that the pilot, while properly licensed, had limited flight experience, with only 75 total hours and 42 hours of solo flight. The investigation also reviewed GPS data, which showed the pilot's tactical decisions, such as the decision to fly toward a specific cloud bank, and analyzed the wind conditions, which were contributing to the difficulty of finding stable thermals.
Findings
- The pilot had limited flight experience.
- The pilot operated under extreme stress during the final phase of the flight, leading to tactical errors.
- The decision to land in the unprepared field was made too late.
- The landing was performed with a tailwind, which significantly extended the ground roll and led to the collision.
- The meteorological conditions were challenging for a pilot with low flight hours, as high wind speeds caused the thermal columns to be tilted and fragmented.