What happened
On July 16, 2022, an instructor was conducting a demonstration flight for a student candidate at the Szymanów (EPWS) landing field. The flight was performed in a HB-23/2400 motor glider, registration SP-0097. After completing the pre-flight inspection, the aircraft departed from the airfield area.
During the flight, weather conditions deteriorated rapidly as a cumulonimbus (CB) cloud began to develop, bringing with it wind gusts and turbulence. In response to the worsening weather, the instructor decided to terminate the flight and perform a precautionary landing. The approach was conducted on a heading of 225 degrees, into the wind, targeting the glider section of the airfield. The pilot maintained a speed of approximately 110 km/h, in accordance with the aircraft's flight manual.
As the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 1.5 to 2 meters above the ground, a sudden loss of lift caused by strong turbulence resulted in a hard landing. Following the landing roll, the aircraft exited the runway. While taxiing toward the hangar, the left landing gear leg—which had likely been weakened by the impact of the hard landing—collapsed. There were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the flight sequence and the mechanical failure of the landing gear. The investigation established that the aircraft was operating in unstable weather conditions characterized by convective activity and turbulence. The commission also reviewed the preventive measures taken by the operator following the incident.