What happened
On June 6, 2017, a 3CHEMPP glider was participating in an international gliding competition near Comborantin, France. The flight was part of a triangular circuit task. After approximately one hour of flight, the pilot found themselves 15 kilometers from the Comborantin aerodrome. Due to unfavorable meteorological conditions and a lack of available thermals, the pilot decided to perform a field landing.
To ensure the crew could easily locate the aircraft for recovery, the pilot intended to land near a recognizable landmark, selecting a field close to the village of Vennetou-sur-Herbe. During the approach, the pilot identified a utility pole within the initial target field and subsequently redirected the approach toward a rectangular meadow. This meadow, measuring approximately 200 meters in length, was almost entirely surrounded by trees.
The glider approached the meadow on a trajectory of approximately 270 degrees. During the landing sequence, the aircraft crossed a treeline at the entrance of the meadow and ultimately collided with trees located 100 meters beyond the point of touchdown. The impact caused heavy damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators analyzed data from a flight logger installed on the glider. The logs revealed that the aircraft had performed numerous turns, likely in an attempt to locate rising air currents. The data showed that the trajectory toward the chosen landing field was established while the aircraft was at an altitude of less than 100 meters. The final straight-line segment of the approach was noted to be particularly short.
Physical examination of the accident site revealed that several other adjacent fields, which were free of similar obstacles, were available and more suitable for a safe landing.
Findings
- The pilot made a late decision to land in the field.
- The crew selected an unsuitable landing site due to the presence of surrounding trees.
- The investigation suggests that the crew's drive to find thermals, potentially exacerbated by the competitive nature of the flight and the higher level of competition experience held by the co-pilot, may have caused them to persist in searching for lift until a very low altitude was reached.