What happened
During a cross-country flight departing from Falköping airport, a glider encountered weakening thermal activity after reaching the first waypoint of a planned 132 km route. As the aircraft's altitude decreased due to the lack of rising air, the pilot decided to perform an out-landing in a nearby field.
As the aircraft approached the ground, it struck power lines. The impact damaged the canopy and the wing, and the force was sufficient to tear the stabilizer from the airframe. Following the collision, the aircraft struck the ground in a nose-first attitude and continued to slide for approximately 150 to 200 meters before coming to a complete stop. The pilot sustained no injuries during the event.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the visibility of the electrical infrastructure during the landing approach. Investigators determined that the support poles for the power lines were obscured from the pilot's view by a house and a tree. This obstruction prevented the pilot from identifying the presence of the wires.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the difficulty in detecting the power lines because the supporting poles were hidden by vegetation and structures.
- The investigation established that detecting overhead wires from the air is extremely challenging without the visual reference provided by the poles.
Safety action
- The investigation noted that the near-impossibility of detecting wires without seeing the poles necessitates visual identification of the poles to ensure safe clearance.