What happened
On April 22, 2026, at the Bielsko-Biała/Aleksandrowice airport (EPBA), a glider tow operation involving a Schempp-Hirth Ventus-C (registration SP-447 7) and a WT-9 "Dynamic" ultralight aircraft resulted in an accident. During the takeoff roll, witnesses observed that the glider's aerodynamic airbrakes were extended. This configuration prevented the aircraft from climbing effectively, forcing the tow team to fly at a low altitude and low speed.
To avoid flying over densely populated residential areas, the pilot of the towing aircraft initiated a shallow turn toward the mountains, seeking open fields for a potential emergency landing. During the flight, the glider pilot requested an increase in towing speed, but the towing pilot noted that the airbrakes remained open. Despite two radio requests from the towing pilot to close the brakes, the glider pilot did not comply. Eventually, at an altitude of approximately 50 meters, the glider pilot released the tow line. Following the release, the glider experienced a heavy left wing drop and descended rapidly, striking trees, a fence, and an embankment before coming to a halt.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the aircraft's structural damage, which included a destroyed wing box, broken wing-to-fuselage connections, and a deformed landing gear frame. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's credentials, noting approximately 400 total hours of flight time, with 200 hours specifically on the Ventus-C. Technical inspections of the airbrakes revealed they were fully functional and not jammed, meaning they were intentionally left in the extended position. The investigation is also reviewing the flight data from the onboard LX8000 flight computer to reconstruct the exact flight parameters and the impact.