Incident Summary
On 1 July 2023, at Szymanów airfield (EPWS), a Diamond HK-36 R Super Dimona, registration SP-0082, was conducting training flights. The purpose of the flights was for a student pilot, holder of an SPL license, to obtain a TMG rating. The training was carried out under an approved training program for a Declared Training Organisation (DTO). The instructor briefed the student on pre-flight inspection, cockpit configuration, normal and emergency procedures. Weather conditions were suitable for training and operation of the motorglider.
Sequence of Events
After engine start, the crew taxied to runway 32R and took off at 17:55 LMT. The flight included a 30-minute zone flight and four traffic patterns. The instructor demonstrated landing with airbrakes. During the fourth pattern, the approach proceeded normally until the flare. After the flare, there was no hold-off phase. A delayed pilot reaction to touchdown at higher speed resulted in a gentle bounce. The student pilot incorrectly maintained the glide angle after the bounce while simultaneously deploying the airbrakes.
Airfield camera footage showed that after the bounce, the motorglider initially pitched the nose excessively, then touched down hard on three points. Despite the instructor's action to close the airbrakes, the hard landing caused the right main landing gear leg to separate. Consequently, the right wing tip contacted the grass, causing the motorglider to rotate during the landing roll. The crew was unable to counteract the loss of directional control. The damaged aircraft came to a stop across the runway. The crew sustained no injuries.
Damage
The right main landing gear leg detached from the aircraft. The right wing tip struck the airfield grass, resulting in rotation of the motorglider. The aircraft came to rest perpendicular to the runway.
Probable Causes
The investigation identified three causes: 1. Incorrect reaction of the student pilot to the motorglider bounce after touchdown, consisting of failure to maintain the glide angle. 2. Incorrect use of the airbrakes. 3. Delayed reaction of the instructor to the student pilot's errors.