What happened
On July 30, 2023, at approximately 09:45 UTC, a Schleicher ASK 23 glider, registration OY-NVX, was involved in an accident during a local flight training session at Hammer Aerodrome (EKHM). The flight was being conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) as a solo instructional session for a student pilot, marking the student's third flight of the day.
During the approach and flare phase for landing on runway 28, the student pilot experienced an unexpected loss of airspeed. This loss of velocity caused the aircraft to sink more rapidly than intended. Consequently, the glider impacted the runway with significant force. While there were no fatalities, the impact resulted in one serious injury to an individual on the ground.
The investigation
The Danish Accident Investigation Board (Havarikommissionen) conducted an initial safety investigation into the event. The investigation examined the flight conditions, which were characterized by daylight and visual meteorological conditions (VMC), with the student pilot noting a light southern wind. The investigation also assessed the physical state of the aircraft following the impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a hard landing resulting from an unintended loss of airspeed during the flare.
- The impact caused extensive structural damage to the Schleicher ASK 23, specifically involving significant damage to the forward and rear attachment points for the right wing spar.