What happened
On April 16, 2011, a student pilot was conducting solo training flights at the Altlichtenwarth airfield (LOAR) in an AVO-68 R Samburo motor glider. The flight was part of a training program to obtain authorization for engine-assisted starts and preparation for a glider pilot license practical exam. After completing several training circuits in a dual-control configuration earlier that day, the student pilot commenced a solo flight at 17:14 UTC.
During the second approach to runway 04, with the engine running at idle and an approach speed of approximately 100 km/ 1 h IAS, the pilot began the flare too high. This caused the aircraft to drop from an altitude of roughly 1.5 to 2 meters as it fell below its minimum flying speed. The aircraft subsequently made a hard impact on runway 04 at 17:24 UTC. The motor glider rolled along the runway and eventually came to rest on a taxiway near the takeoff position. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained significant damage, including a compressed main landing gear structure, deformed control rods, and cracked fiberglass fairings.
The investigation
The SUB investigation examined the flight parameters, the aircraft's weight and balance, and the pilot's experience. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot's flight experience was appropriate for the training level and found no evidence of any medical impairment. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's loading configuration, noting that the weight of the pilot and the lack of the instructor's mass during this solo flight resulted in a different center of gravity compared to previous dual-control training flights.