What happened
On November 4, 1995, during a gliding competition in Bauru, São Paulo, a Quero Quero glider, registration PT-PKG, performed a forced landing in a plowed field. The aircraft was participating in a closed-circuit navigation task between Bauru and Pirajuí.
While the outbound leg of the flight was aided by a tailwind, the return leg encountered a 15-knot headwind. The pilot, unable to reach the destination airfield or an alternative landing site, was forced to terminate the flight by landing in an irregular field. The aircraft sustained severe damage to the fuselage, but the pilot emerged uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation established that the pilot had received a meteorological briefing prior to takeoff and was in constant communication with ground support, which provided regular wind updates. Although the pilot was properly licensed and medically certified, the investigation focused on the operational decisions made during the return leg of the circuit.
Investigators noted that the pilot allowed the aircraft to descend to an altitude where reaching the destination or an alternative airport was no longer possible. The investigation also noted that the accident was not immediately reported to the authorities by the pilot or the local aero club, and was only discovered after a flight safety officer visited the area.
Findings
- Deficient Planning: The pilot failed to adequately account for the influence of wind direction and intensity on the navigation plan, specifically regarding the ability to reach the alternative airfield.
- Deficient Judgment: The pilot failed to maintain a minimum safety altitude (safety cone) necessary to ensure the flight could continue to the destination or an alternate site despite the headwind.
- Deficient Supervision: The investigation identified that the competition organizers had designed a circuit requiring pilots to cross urban areas at low altitudes and high speeds to maximize points, which increased operational risk.