What happened
On May 14, 2005, a Discus T glider, registered as D-KDOS, was involved in an accident during a local flight at Leeuwarden Airbase. The pilot had recently purchased the aircraft, and while an instructor had performed the initial flight of the day to verify its airworthiness, this was the pilot's first time operating this specific model.
During a winch launch at approximately 15:15 local time, the aircraft's right wing, including the winglet, made contact with the ground. This impact caused the left wing to lift, initiating a ground loop. As the aircraft pivoted to the right, the fuselage broke forward of the fin. The pilot managed to disconnect the winch cable during the maneuver, and the aircraft came to a halt after traveling approximately 30 meters. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted based on information provided by the pilot and a witness, as investigators did not attend the scene in person. The inquiry examined the conditions at the launch site, noting that the grass height was slightly less than 15 cm and the wind was aligned directly with the runway. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's recent flight history, noting that the pilot had completed between 15 and 20 flights in the three months preceding the accident.
Findings
While the specific reason why the right wing struck the ground remains undetermined, the investigation identified that the pilot's delayed reaction to the wing strike made the subsequent ground loop unavoidable. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of previous experience operating the Discus T model.