What happened
On May 19, 2007, at approximately 14:15, a Pezetel SZD 50-3 Puchacz glider, registered F-CAFK, was engaged in a local flight near the Aubenasson airfield. The pilot, accompanied by one passenger, departed via aero-tow at 14:00. The pilot released the tow cable at an altitude of approximately 900 meters, positioned above a ridge 600 meters high, roughly five kilometers southwest of the airfield.
During the flight, the pilot encountered weak and narrow thermal lift. In an effort to maintain altitude and extend the flight duration for the passenger, the pilot performed tight, steep turns. During these maneuvers, the aircraft entered a spin without any prior warning of an impending stall. After completing two to three turns, the pilot managed to recover from the spin; however, the aircraft was already too close to the treetops to avoid an impact. The pilot deployed the air brakes in an attempt to reduce speed, but the glider ultimately became lodged in the branches, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the meteorological conditions and the pilot's decision-making process. On the day of the accident, weather conditions featured a light northern wind and visibility exceeding 10 km. While thermal convection was present, it was weak and capped at an altitude of 800 meters. The pilot had not consulted the specific meteorological forecasts for the region, which indicated good thermal activity was expected before the arrival of high clouds, but notably lacked dynamic lift.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the accident:
- The pilot's persistence in continuing the flight despite unfavorable aerological conditions for gliding.
- An insufficient monitoring of airspeed during tight maneuvering.
- The decision to perform tight spirals to exploit weak lift, which led to the loss of control.
- The presence of a passenger, which the pilot noted influenced his decision to continue the flight and attempt to maximize the available lift.