What happened
On December 5, 2020, at approximately 19:40 UTC, a Schleicher KA6-CR glider, registered LV-DEY, was conducting a training flight at the Cañuelas Aerodrome in the province of Buenos Aires. During the landing phase of the operation, the right wingtip of the aircraft made contact with the ground. This impact caused the glider to pivot on the wing, leading to the detachment of the tail unit (empennage).
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing approach and the subsequent structural failure. The aircraft, which was being operated for private general aviation training, was destroyed in the incident. The investigation confirmed that the contact between the wingtip and the terrain was the primary event that triggered the loss of structural integrity in the tail section.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the right wingtip striking the ground during the landing maneuver.
- The impact force caused the aircraft to pivot, resulting in the separation of the empennage.
- There were no injuries reported among the crew or passengers following the event.