What happened
On June 19, 2003, a SZD-48-3 Jantar-Standard-3 glider, registration LY-GCI, operated by the Kaunas Aviation Sports Club, performed an emergency landing in the Ukmergė district of Lithuania. The flight was part of a standard class gliding championship; however, deteriorating weather conditions forced the pilot to select an off-field landing site in a meadow near Leonpolio.
The pilot attempted to land within a narrow, 21-meter wide strip of freshly mown grass. During the landing roll, the right wingtip caught tall, unmown grass (approximately 30–40 cm in height). This contact caused the aircraft to pivot around its vertical axis and enter a side skid. As the glider slid 31 meters across the uneven terrain, the main landing gear frame struck a small mound, resulting in a structural failure of the gear frame and various other damages to the airframe.
The pilot was uninjured during the event.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path using GPS data and analyzed local meteorological reports. Investigators determined that while the pilot's intended approach course was 325 degrees, the actual track left on the ground was 337 degrees. This deviation indicated that the aircraft was being drifted to the right by environmental factors.
Meteorological data from the nearby Ukmergė station showed a steady wind of 180 degrees at 5 m/s. For the landing, this resulted in a significant left quartering headwind, with a crosswind component of approximately 4.1 m/s. The investigation also noted that the aircraft was being operated without a valid certificate of airworthiness at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The pilot selected a landing strip that was too narrow to ensure a safe margin for the aircraft's 15-meter wingspan.
- The primary cause of the accident was landing in a narrow strip while subjected to a quartering headwind, which caused the aircraft to drift out of the mown area.
- The aircraft was being operated without a valid certificate of airworthiness.
- The wind conditions were unsuitable for maintaining the desired track within the narrow mown corridor.