Incident Summary
On 19 August 2022, at the end of training circuits, a glider instructor and a student were performing a so-called hangar landing at EP Pruszcz Gdański. During the approach to land outside the designated grass runway, at an altitude of approximately 3.5 m AGL, the glider's left wing struck a windsock mast. The impact damaged the wing in the area of the airbrake box. The glider landed without further consequences. The crew sustained no injuries.
Cause
The Polish State Commission on Aircraft Accident Investigation determined that the cause of the incident was the descent of the glider in a place not intended for landing approach, to a height that did not ensure safe clearance over obstacles.
Contributing Circumstances
The investigation identified the following circumstances that favored the occurrence of the incident:
- Limited visibility from the glider's cabin, caused by landing into the sun.
- A desire to quickly end the flight, resulting from circumstances unrelated to the task being performed.
- A desire to facilitate the glider's entry into the hangar.
Safety Actions
The glider operator suspended hangar landings until an instruction describing the procedure for such landings, including the approach to land, is developed. Additionally, the operator’s SMS manager discussed the incident with the club’s glider instructors and briefed personnel on reporting procedures and actions to take after an occurrence.