Summary
The accident occurred on 15 July 2022 at Krosno Airport (EPKR), Poland. The pilot of a privately operated SZD-38A Jantar 1 glider (registration SP-3111) was on a cross-country flight. After returning to the airport, he executed a low pass and then attempted to land downwind on runway 16. The landing gear was not extended, and the glider made a hard belly landing, suffering severe structural damage. The pilot did not sustain any injuries.
Factual Information
The glider was an SZD-38A Jantar 1, a single-seat high-performance sailplane. It was privately owned and operated. The pilot held a Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL) and had limited experience on this type.
Sequence of Events
On 15 July 2022, the pilot took off from the grass runway 29R at Krosno Airport at 14:41 LMT, winch-launched to approximately 280 m AGL. He used thermals to gain altitude and flew a triangular route of about 200 km, with a flight duration exceeding 2.5 hours. Weather conditions were reported as good.
Upon returning to the airport from the east, the pilot announced by radio his intention to perform a low pass. He accelerated in a gentle dive, reaching the lowest altitude near the threshold of runway 11L. After a slight climb in a right turn, he continued low along the western perimeter of the airport. He then executed a turn with a steep bank onto a short final approach for a downwind landing on runway 16. Despite repeated radio calls from the flight director to extend the landing gear, the glider touched down with the gear retracted. The glider slid on its belly and came to a stop on the runway heading.
Aircraft Damage
The hard landing caused significant damage to the glider. Longitudinal cracks appeared in the lower fuselage below the pilot seat. The cabin floor partially detached from the nose to frame 1. The forward fixed canopy was completely separated and destroyed. The rudder detached from the fuselage, damaging the hinge attachments and tearing the vertical pushrod of the elevator control. The horizontal stabilizer was also damaged.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the probable causes of the accident were:
- Improper planning of the landing maneuver, which led to a downwind landing.
- Probable jamming of the landing gear locking mechanism in the retracted position.