What happened
On April 7, 2016, a Schempp-Hirth Discus-2c glider departed from Braunschweig Airport via winch launch. The flight mission, assigned by the supervising instructor, instructed the student pilot to search for thermal lift for an extended period before performing roll maneuvers, eventually concluding with a landing on the north grass runway.
After being winched to an altitude of 335 meters, the pilot attempted to find thermals over the Waggum district but was unsuccessful, resulting in a loss of altitude. At approximately 200 meters above the airfield, the pilot began landing preparations by extending the landing gear. Rather than proceeding with the landing approach, the pilot noticed rising air and initiated a right-hand turn, believing there was sufficient altitude of 240 meters to continue circling.
During this maneuver, the aircraft encountered a strong downdut and turbulent air. The glider entered an uncontrolled flight state, described by the pilot as a type of spiral dive. The aircraft subsequently struck a playground near a swimming pool, causing heavy damage to the glider. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
The BFU examined the flight data from the aircraft's GPS and interviewed the pilot and witnesses. The investigation reviewed the pilot's training records, noting that while the pilot had significant flight experience for their training level, they were still in the process of completing advanced flight training modules. The investigation also looked into the meteorological conditions, noting reports of sudden, intense gusts in the area at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot entered an uncontrolled flight state, likely a spiral dive, and failed to recover the aircraft before impact.
Contributing factors included:
- The decision to initiate a circling maneuver after already having prepared the aircraft for landing.
- The pilot being overwhelmed by the challenging meteorological conditions, characterized by turbulent and broken thermals.
- Deficiencies in the pilot's ability to recognize and recover from exceptional flight conditions.