What happened
On June 8, 2024, at Katowice Muchowie andowiece Airport (EPKM), a student pilot performed a solo flight in an SZD-51-1 Junior glider, registration SP-3343. Prior to the solo flight, the student had completed a check flight with an instructor in a different glider type, which resulted in the student being cleared for solo operations.
The flight began with a winch launch. After releasing from the cable at approximately 240 m AGL, the student maintained a straight flight path for about 12 seconds at an increased speed while descending. The pilot then entered a right-hand turn that became increasingly steep. An instructor monitoring the flight from the ground observed that the flight profile was deviating from the pre-flight plan and noted that the aircraft was losing altitude rapidly. Upon being asked via radio about the situation, the student reported that the aircraft was "losing altitude and falling."
Following a change in direction of approximately 230 degrees, the glider entered a second, deepening right-hand turn at an altitude of roughly 70–80 m AGL. During this maneuver, the glider's aerodynamic brakes were observed to be extended. The aircraft eventually struck the grassy runway surface with its right wing at a bank angle of approximately 45 degrees. The impact caused the glider to spin 180 degrees on the ground before coming to a halt.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted by the aircraft operator under the supervision of the PKBWL. The investigation utilized airport camera footage to reconstruct the flight sequence. The investigation established that the student pilot, who held a PPL(A) license but was still training for glider solo operations, was uninjured following the event. The aircraft sustained significant structural damage, including damage to the fuselage, the cockpit canopy, and the horizontal stabilizer attachment.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) during a steep descending turn.
- The student pilot was operating the aircraft in a manner inconsistent with the pre-flight instructions provided by the instructor.
- The use of extended aerodynamic brakes during the descending turn contributed to the loss of altitude.
- The impact was partially mitigated by the right wing striking the ground first, which absorbed some of the energy, though the aircraft suffered severe structural damage.