What happened
On August 14, 2025, during a gliding competition, a Rolladen-Schneider LS3a glider, registration SP-4307, was participating in a triangle course flight. The flight originated from Ostrów (EPOM) airport. After successfully navigating the first two turning points near Leszna, the pilot attempted to return to the departure airfield.
As the evening progressed, thermal conditions began to dissipate, making a return to the home aerodrome impossible. At an altitude of approximately 320 m AGL, the pilot decided to perform an off-field landing in a large, plowed stubble field located near Biadki. The chosen landing site was approximately 300 meters long, situated in the wind axis, and presented an unobstructed approach.
At 18:47 local time, after three hours of flight, the pilot executed four circuits in a downwind pattern. Following a 180-degree turn, the pilot approached the field. During the landing roll, the pilot encountered significant irregularities in the terrain, consisting of hardened, cloddy, and plowed earth. This caused the forward fuselage to strike the ground, resulting in a crack in the structure. The landing gear bay covers and the tip of the left wing also sustained damage. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight logs, including data from the pilot's SeeYou flight recorder, and analyzed the terrain conditions at the site of the landing. The investigation focused on the surface characteristics of the field and the pilot's decision-making process regarding the off-field landing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the landing on an uneven, hard, and cloddy surface that was difficult to accurately identify from the air.
- The pilot's decision to land in an off-field location was driven by the loss of thermal lift and the inability to reach the home aerodrome due to the late hour.