What happened
On June 4, 2023, at the Piotrków Trybunalski airport (EPPT), glider operations and skydiving activities were being conducted simultaneously. Due to the wind direction, parachutes were being deployed on the eastern side of the airfield within the aerodrome traffic pattern, with skydivers opening at approximately 3,000 ft AGL.
A SZD-50-3 "Puchacz", registration SP-3484, departed from runway 03 using a winch launch. After releasing from the winch, the pilot began circling near the end of the runway. While positioned on the straight-in approach to the drop zone, the aircraft towing the skydivers broadcast a position report stating they were "on the straight-in to drop." Per established procedures, all aircraft are required to immediately vacate the parachute deployment area upon hearing this communication.
The glider pilot did not react to the radio transmissions from either the tow aircraft pilot or the jump coordinator. While the pilot continued to focus on centering a thermal, the jump coordinator issued an urgent instruction to vacate the drop zone and land immediately. During this period, the pilot observed skydivers approximately 200 meters away. The pilot subsequently joined the left circuit for runway 03 and landed without further incident.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the radio communications, the sequence of flight maneuvers, and the coordination between the glider operations and the skydiving unit. The investigation focused on why the glider pilot failed to respond to the mandatory warnings regarding the active drop zone.
Findings
- The pilot failed to respond to radio communications from the tow aircraft pilot and the jump coordinator regarding the imminent parachute deployment.
- Improper distribution of pilot attention led to excessive concentration on thermal centering, resulting in a delayed departure from the parachute deployment zone.