What happened
On May 28, 2023, a Rolladen-Schneider LS 6, registration OY-XNR, was conducting a local VFR flight departing from Kongsted (EKKS). After departing from runway 27, the pilot flew northwest in search of thermal activity. Finding insufficient lift, the pilot turned east to return to the airfield.
During the return, the pilot determined that the aircraft's altitude was insufficient to complete a standard landing pattern. Consequently, the decision was made to perform an off-field landing in a field located approximately 100 meters north of the aerodrome. The pilot was aware that the landing would be performed into a headwind component, as the wind was blowing from approximately 290 degrees at 5-7 knots, while the landing direction was toward the southeast.
The landing site consisted of a field with grain crops roughly one meter in height, featuring a slight downward slope from left to right across the landing path. During the landing sequence, the left wingtip struck the crops, causing the glider to enter a ground loop to the left, resulting in the accident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the structural damage and the sequence of the landing maneuver. The aircraft sustained severe damage, with the fuselage breaking immediately behind the cockpit and delamination occurring on the inner trailing edge of the left wing and the left cowling. There were no fatalities and no serious injuries reported for the occupant.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the left wingtip striking the tall grain crops during the landing.
- The landing was performed into a crosswind/headwind component on a terrain surface with uneven crops and a lateral slope.
- The pilot's decision to execute an off-field landing was driven by insufficient altitude to reach the runway for a normal approach.