What happened
On May 26, 2002, a Ventus cM self-launching glider, registration D-KJBY, was performing a local flight departing from Padua Airport. The weather conditions were favorable, characterized by excellent visibility and calm winds. After briefly leaving the controlled airspace, the pilot returned to the Padova Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) zone to prepare for landing, intending to fly over the runway before entering the left downwind for runway 04.
During the landing sequence, while at an altitude of approximately 200 meters, the aircraft entered a high-speed descent. As the pilot attempted to pull up to recover a normal flight attitude, the aircraft experienced a sudden and catastrophic structural failure. Eyewitnesses reported that the left wing detached from the fuselage while the aircraft was still in flight. The glider subsequently plummeted into a field adjacent to the airport perimeter fence at an estimated speed of over 200 km/h, catching fire upon impact. The pilot was killed in the crash.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the wreckage distribution and the physical condition of the remaining components. Investigators found debris scattered across a wide area, with some fragments, including parts of the horizontal stabilizer and wingtips, located approximately 200 meters from the primary impact site. The left wing was recovered near the Bologna–Padova railway line, where its impact caused damage to overhead electrical lines and track components.
Technical examination of the wreckage revealed significant upward bending deformations on the wing surfaces. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's airworthiness documentation and maintenance records were up to date, and no mechanical failures or medical emergencies involving the pilot were identified. The investigation concluded that the structural integrity was compromised by forces exceeding the ultimate design limits.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of control following a structural failure triggered by exceeding the maximum allowable load factor during a pull-up maneuver.
- The pilot's maneuver induced upward bending stresses that surpassed the aircraft's structural limits, leading to the separation of the left wing and wingtips.
- The pilot's limited flight experience and limited time specifically with this aircraft type may have contributed to the error, though the specific reason for the high-speed descent was not determined.