What happened
On June 27, 2020, a PZL Bielsko SZD-51-1 glider, registration OY-ZWX, was involved in an accident during a solo training flight at Kalundborg (EKKL). The incident occurred during an aerotow operation under visual meteorological conditions.
Immediately after lift-off, the student pilot experienced a loss of lift on the right wing. In an attempt to correct the flight path, the pilot pushed the control stick forward, causing the aircraft to strike the ground forcefully before rebounding into the air. This ground contact occurred twice before the student pilot successfully released the glider from the tow plane. The aircraft eventually landed without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's configuration, and the flight manual requirements. It was noted that the student pilot had only 31 total flight hours and 85 landings. Following the event, the pilot observed that the glider's trim was set to position 1, which is a nose-heavy configuration.
According to the aircraft's flight manual, for school flights, the trim slider should be set between position 6 (for a light pilot) and position 8 (for a heavy pilot) before takeoff. The investigation confirmed that the incorrect trim setting was a key factor in the aircraft's behavior.
Findings
- The glider sustained substantial damage to the underside of the cockpit section.
- The student pilot's attempt to correct the wing lift loss resulted in two impacts with the ground.
- The trim was set to position 1, which deviates significantly from the manual's recommended range of 6 to 8 for training operations.