What happened
On June 2, 2019, a SZD-36 A “Cobra 15” glider was performing a winch launch at the Schmoldow airfield. The aircraft, which had been recently acquired by the pilot, was part of a series of planned thermal flights. During the third launch of the day, the glider reached an altitude of approximately 20 to 30 meters. At this low altitude, the aircraft experienced a brief yawing motion to the right, followed by a yaw to the left. This was immediately followed by a roll over the left wing, causing the aircraft to impact the runway almost vertically.
The impact occurred near a two-seat "Puchacz" glider that had recently landed. Debris from the Cobra 15 struck the right wing and cockpit canopy of the stationary aircraft. The impact destroyed the Cobra 15 and caused heavy damage to the other glider. The pilot of the Cޮbra 15 was ejected from the cockpit and sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft, the flight conditions, and the pilot's experience. The investigation found that the winch cable had been correctly attached to the aircraft's release mechanism. While the tow rope's breaking links were intact, the cable itself had snapped at the winch station. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's records, noting that while the pilot held a valid license, he had very limited experience on this specific model, having flown only 1 hour and 55 minutes on the SZD-36 A “Cobra 15 prior to the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control at a very low altitude (20-30 meters).
- The pilot had minimal flight time on the specific aircraft type.
- The winch cable snapped at the winch station during the launch.
- The impact was nearly vertical, leading to the total destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.