What happened
On July 31, 1997, at 18:15 local time, an L-13 Blanik glider, registration Nr. 12, was involved in an accident at the Jurbarkas Aeroclub airfield near Pervaznininkai, Lithuania. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot for a solo flight. The takeoff was being assisted by a home-built auto-launcher mounted on a ZIL-131 truck.
The glider lifted off with a takeoff angle of approximately 45 degrees, which was steeper than the average climb. At an altitude of roughly 50 to 100 meters, the tow line connected to the launcher snapped. Following the loss of tension, the glider lost airspeed and entered a left-hand spin. After only one revolution, the aircraft struck the ground approximately 300 meters from the start of the runway. The impact resulted in the destruction of the L-13 Blanik and caused serious injuries to the student pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the mechanical failure of the launch system and the operational status of the aeroclub. Investigators found that the auto-launcher was a custom-built device with unknown technical specifications, no documented maintenance history, and no formal testing results. Furthermore, the use of non-standard safety components was noted between the hook and the tow line.
The investigation also revealed significant regulatory non-compliance at the Jurbaryas Aeroclub. At the time of the accident, the club's authorization as a training institution had expired, and several pilots were operating with expired licenses. Additionally, the airfield itself was unregistered, lacked formal flight instructions, and had unmaintained, high grass on the runway surface.