What happened
During a cross-country flight departing from Ljungbyhed, a pilot intended to reach a waypoint 22 km to the north before returning to the departure airfield. During the flight, the pilot realized the aircraft's altitude had decreased significantly and chose to abort the mission. The pilot initially identified a suitable field for an emergency landing and remained over this area for approximately 15 minutes.
Seeking better flying conditions, the pilot later decided to depart from the safety of the landing field to search for rising air in a different area. This decision proved problematic as the aircraft's altitude continued to drop. Upon realizing the danger, the pilot attempted to return to the original landing field, but the low altitude made locating the site difficult. While the pilot eventually regained visual contact with the field, the aircraft was too low to execute a controlled touchdown. The right wing struck a tree, causing the glider to spin and strike the ground in a horizontal orientation. The pilot sustained injuries to the back, and the glider sustained damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making process regarding altitude management and the search for lift. Investigators examined the sequence of maneuvers following the decision to abandon the initial landing site. The investigation also considered environmental factors, specifically the terrain elevation differences between the departure point and the accident location, which likely influenced the pilot's perception of available altitude.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the search for thermals was prioritized over maintaining a safe landing configuration at the intended field.
- This prioritization resulted in a loss of altitude and a change in position that rendered a safe landing impossible.
- The difference in elevation between the takeoff site and the accident site likely contributed to an inaccurate assessment of the aircraft's remaining altitude.