What happened
On July 17, 2004, a Jantar STD 3 glider, registration D-5/5353, was performing a recreational flight at Évora Aerodrome. After a four-hour duration, the pilot initiated an approach to runway 01 from the east. During the final approach, the pilot consulted a GPS unit, momentarily diverting attention from the flight path. Upon looking back outside, the pilot realized the aircraft was too low and that the aerodrome's perimeter fence was directly ahead.
In an attempt to recover, the pilot retracted the air brakes and pulled back on the control column. However, the tail of the glider struck the 2.5-meter-high fence, causing the aircraft to dive. The glider impacted the ground approximately 21 meters from the start of the runway, 20 meters off the centerline, and 31 meters from the fence. The aircraft spun approximately 210 degrees from its original approach path. The pilot, the sole occupant, escaped without injury, though the aircraft sustained minor damage and a 26-meter section of the fence was destroyed.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's maintenance status, and the environmental conditions. The investigation noted that while the pilot was familiar with the aerodrome's layout, a new perimeter fence had been installed after the pilot's last visit in 2003. The investigation also considered the cockpit environment, noting that the flight took place in temperatures exceeding 32°C, which likely increased heat within the unventilated cockpit.
Findings
- The pilot's attention was diverted from the external environment to the cockpit while checking GPS data.
- The pilot executed a low-altitude approach that left insufficient margin for error.
- Pilot fatigue caused by four hours of flight in intense heat within a poorly ventilated cockpit contributed to the poor approach planning.
- The installation of a new perimeter fence presented a new obstacle that the pilot had not encountered during previous visits to the aerodrome.