Accident
On 6 July 1997 at 15:50 local time, a glider accident occurred in the vicinity of Panevėžys Aero Club aerodrome. The glider, an L-13 "Blanik" registered as LY-GKJ, was piloted by a club glider pilot. The flight departed from the aerodrome at 15:30 for soaring in the aerodrome area. After release from the tow at an altitude of 400 m, the pilot was unable to gain sufficient altitude to remain airborne under the prevailing meteorological conditions.
Sequence of Events
At a distance of 3-4 km from the aerodrome and at an altitude of approximately 250 m, the pilot determined that a return to the aerodrome was not possible and decided to land in a field selected from the air. At 200 m altitude, the pilot decided to land into the wind from the opposite end of the chosen field. While executing the landing maneuver, the glider encountered a strong descending air current and did not reach the intended landing area. The glider impacted the ground, sustaining structural damage.
Injuries and Damage
No persons were injured during the accident. The glider suffered damage to the upper center section shell, left side of the center section, partially twisted center section torsion box, left wing bent aft about 1 cm at the root rib, left wing flap contacting the center section, left side shell in the cockpit area, and a deformed and cracked upper part of the center section front wall. The glider was deemed repairable only under factory conditions. Minor damage occurred to a farmer's crops.
Aircraft Information
The glider was an L-13 "Blanik" (type L-13, serial number 174317, registration LY-GKJ). It was manufactured in Czechoslovakia in 1969. At the time of the accident, the glider had accumulated 2,161 flight hours since new and 514 hours since its last repair. It had undergone 3 repairs and 4,704 landings total. The maintenance and operation complied with established requirements.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a Lithuanian citizen born in 1959, held a valid glider pilot license (valid until 14 May 1999). Total flight experience was 120 hours and 19 minutes, with 12 hours and 20 minutes in the preceding 90 days.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather conditions were ordinary (simple) with a variable wind, cloud base at about 1,300 m, and visibility more than 10 km. No ATC or ground personnel factors contributed to the accident.
Investigation
The investigation did not identify any specific cause or contributing factors. The pilot was wearing lap and shoulder safety belts, which showed no damage. No flight recorder was installed or used. No further tests or examinations were conducted.