What happened
On July 16, 2005, a Schleicher ASK-21 glider, registration PH-1097, was performing a local instructional flight at the Wieringermeer glider airfield. The flight was part of an evaluation to determine if the student pilot was ready for a solo flight. During the flight, an instructor and student performed a simulated cable break maneuver at an altitude of approximately 100 meters.
Following the simulated release, the student pilot elected to land straight ahead rather than initiating a turn to fly a shortened circuit. The student believed the remaining runway length was sufficient for a direct landing. As the aircraft approached the ground, the instructor noted that the groundspeed was too high to stop before the end of the field. The student attempted to land, but the aircraft bounced, hitting the ground approximately 10 meters further down the field.
In an attempt to avoid a dike at the edge of the field, the student applied maximum braking and steered right. The instructor eventually took control to pull the aircraft away from a nearby ditch, but the aircraft entered a stalled state, causing significant vibration. The glider's wingtip struck the ground near the ditch, leading to a ground loop. The aircraft eventually came to rest in a cornfield, with the tail section breaking off and the nose wheel being driven into the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the decision-making process following the simulated cable break and the impact of wind conditions on the landing distance. The investigation established that the student pilot, accustomed to longer runways at other airfields, misjudged the available stopping distance. Furthermore, the crew failed to timely recognize a significant headwind/tailwind component that was affecting their approach.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the decision to land straight ahead following the cable break maneuver at a low altitude.
- A tailwind component significantly increased the required landing distance, which was not adequately accounted for by the crew.
- The instructor's intervention to prevent hitting the ditch occurred too late to prevent the aircraft from entering a stall and subsequent ground loop.
- The instructor should not have conducted the cable break maneuver at such a low altitude (100 meters) given the wind conditions, as it increased the likelihood of the student attempting a direct landing near the winch.