What happened
An L-13 Blanik glider, registration LY-GKN, was involved in an accident during a training flight when the pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing in an unprepared field. The instructor pilot, while conducting a training session, encountered sudden and deteriorating weather conditions. Unable to maintain sufficient altitude to reach a suitable aerodrome, the pilot selected a nearby field for an emergency touchdown.
While the aircraft sustained extensive structural damage, there were no injuries to the occupants or any other persons involved in the incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making and the environmental factors present during the flight. The authority examined the flight history of the instructor pilot, noting that while the pilot had significant experience, they had a tendency to attribute mishaps to unfavorable circumstances rather than personal error. The investigation also reviewed the maintenance records of the LY-GKN, an aircraft manufactured in 1976 and operated by the Panevėžys Aeroclub.
Findings
The primary cause of the accident was the instructor pilot's failure to properly assess the risk of sudden weather deterioration and a lack of adequate preparation for such changes. This led to a loss of altitude that necessitated the forced landing.
Contributing factors included:
- The pilot's personal lack of decisiveness and insufficient mental preparation for managing the specific flight situation.
- Inappropriate timing of the training session given the unpredictable weather conditions.
- Deficiencies in the level of flight organization.
The aircraft sustained severe damage, including a deformed fuselage at the landing gear attachment point, a torn left stabilizer and rudder, a damaged left wing attachment, and structural deformation to the wing trailing edges and tail boom. The investigation concluded that the LY-GKN was not fit for repair and should be decommissioned.