What happened
On September 21, 2024, at 18:05 UTC, a private glider was performing a local general aviation flight at Cañuelas Aerodrome in Buenos Aires. The aircraft, a SZD 48-1 with registration LV-EIU, was in the final approach phase of its flight when it struck a tree located near the head of runway 36. Following the initial impact with the tree, the glider struck the ground. The aircraft sustained significant damage to its right wing. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The preliminary investigation focused on the flight path and the circumstances surrounding the impact near the aerodrome's runway threshold. The flight was a local pleasure flight, originating and terminating at Cañuelas Aerodrome, with a total flight duration of approximately 45 minutes. The investigation established that the accident occurred during the approach phase under visual meteorological conditions (VMC).