What happened
On April 22, 2019, at approximately 11:35 AM, a PZL-Bochsko-Biala SZD 50-3 "Puchacz", registration B-1335, departed from the Schwarzheide glider airfield for a recreational flight. The aircraft was being towed by a powered aircraft and carried a pilot and one passenger.
After the glider released from the tow near Senftenberg, the pilot attempted to gain altitude by utilizing thermal currents. Following the release, there was no further radio communication from the glider, and the crew lost visual contact with the aircraft. The flight director monitored the glider's progress via an online tracking portal, noting that the GPS data transmission ceased approximately 40 minutes into the flight, while the aircraft was positioned west of the airfield.
In an attempt to locate the glider, another pilot flying a DG 100 launched via winch and established radio contact with the crew of the B-1335. The pilot of the DG 100 was informed that an accident had occurred approximately 2 km northwest of the airfield and that the glider was located within a forest.
Upon discovery, the PZL-Bochsko-Biala SZD 50-3 "Puchacz" was found destroyed within a stand of pine trees approximately 20 meters high. The pilot and passenger were recovered from the wreckage with serious injuries.
The investigation
The BFU investigation utilized GPS data from a device carried on board the glider to reconstruct the flight path. The data revealed that after releasing from the tow, the glider successfully utilized several thermals to reach a maximum altitude of approximately 1,000 meters AGL north of Schwarzheide. The flight path then included a 5 km straight leg to the northwest, followed by a 4 km leg heading south.
At 12:10 PM, the glider passed over the eastern part of Lauchhammer at 550 meters AGL. The aircraft then turned east toward Schwarzheide. After approximately 3 km, the glider entered a left turn on a heading of 280 degrees. The final GPS points recorded at 12:15 PM showed the aircraft at an altitude of 80 meters AGL with a descent rate exceeding 6 m/s.
Physical examination of the aircraft revealed severe structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and canopy, including the separation of the fuselage tube behind the wings. No technical malfunctions were identified during the inspection of the aircraft.
Findings
- The aircraft was destroyed upon impact with the 20-meter-tall pine trees.
- No technical defects were found in the aircraft's systems or structure prior to the impact.
- The flight path analysis indicates a rapid descent to a very low altitude (80 meters AGL) immediately preceding the loss of tracking and the subsequent crash.