What happened
On October 13, 2005, at approximately 17:30 local time, an L 13 Blanik glider, registration I-NOVL, was involved in a landing accident at the E. Mossi Airport in Novi Ligure. The aircraft, operated by Aero Club “F. Padova,” was performing a solo training flight with a student pilot on board. Prior to this solo attempt, the student had completed a dual-instruction flight.
During the approach to runway 18, the pilot initially opened the airbrakes but then closed them, intending to land further down the runway. While attempting to reopen the airbrakes, the pilot mistakenly manipulated the flap lever instead. Because the aircraft remained aerodynamically supported, it continued in level flight past the airport perimeter fence. Upon realizing the error, the pilot deployed the airbrakes, but the aircraft struck the ground in a field beyond the runway. The glider's right wing struck a tree, causing the aircraft to yaw right and subsequently strike a second tree with the left wing.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined the pilot's actions and the communications from the ground. The student pilot, who had previously held a glider license that had been expired for over ten years, reported the confusion between the airbrake and flap controls. The flight instructor, who was monitoring the solo flight from the ground, stated that he had issued multiple radio commands to the student pilot, instructing him to fully extend the airbrakes, but these instructions were not followed in time to prevent the excursion.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the inadequate management of the landing maneuver by the student pilot.
- A critical error occurred when the pilot confused the airbrake lever with the flap lever.
- There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained severe damage to the fuselage and both wings, specifically near the wing attachments.