What happened
On June 12, 2022, a Schempp-Hirth Discus b, registration OY-XUF, was conducting a private VFR cross-country flight. The flight plan involved several waypoints, and the pilot initially determined that the aircraft's altitude was sufficient to reach the third waypoint. Upon reaching that point, the pilot attempted to locate thermal lift to maintain enough altitude to reach the fourth waypoint.
Due to a lack of available thermals, the pilot determined that the current altitude was insufficient to continue the planned route. Consequently, the pilot selected a field to perform an outlanding. During the landing maneuver, the pilot encountered a crop that was taller than anticipated. The left wing of the glider made contact with the tall grain, causing the aircraft to enter a ground loop. There were no injuries to the pilot or any other persons.
The investigation
The Danish Accident Investigation Board (Havarikommissionen) conducted an initial safety investigation into the event. The investigation examined the flight sequence, the environmental conditions, and the physical damage to the aircraft. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained significant damage to the left wing fin and minor scratches to the wing leading edges. The investigation was closed following the initial safety assessment.