What happened
On September 30, 2012, a student pilot was conducting solo training flights at Micheldorf Airfield in Austria. Following two successful solo flights earlier that day, the pilot began a third flight in an Alexander Schleicher K8B glider.
After releasing from the winch at approximately 250 meters, the pilot initiated a 180-degree right turn. During this maneuver, an instructor monitoring the flight from the ground observed that the aircraft's airspeed and sink rate were dangerously high. The instructor issued multiple radio instructions, commanding the pilot to "pull back" to reduce speed, but the pilot did not respond to the first several commands. The instructor noted a brief period where the aircraft appeared to climb slightly, followed by a renewed descent and further increase in speed.
The pilot eventually deployed the airbrake to reduce speed while on a final approach toward the southwest. In an attempt to realign the aircraft with runway 14, the pilot initiated a left turn just before touchdown. This maneuver caused the left wingtip to strike the grass near the runway threshold at approximately 120 km/ $ ext{h}$, followed by a heavy impact of the left nose section with the ground. The aircraft suffered significant structural damage, including a deformed fuselage and damaged wings, but the pilot was able to exit the wreckage uninjured.
The investigation
The SUB investigation reconstructed the flight path using data from the aircraft's onboard FLARM device and statements from the student pilot and instructor. The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's training records, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident.
Investigators found that the aircraft's weight and balance were within limits and that there were no signs of mechanical failure. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's training, noting that while the pilot had completed several solo flights, much of their previous experience had been in a different aircraft type, the Bocian SZD9.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an excessive approach speed combined with a high sink rate.
- The pilot experienced a state of panic and physical tension during the high-speed maneuver, which likely contributed to the lack of response to radio instructions.
- The pilot's flight experience on the specific K8B type was very limited, totaling only 30 minutes of solo flight time.
- The pilot's theoretical training was incomplete, as they had not yet documented training in several mandatory subjects such as meteorology, air law, and navigation.
- The pilot's attempt to correct the aircraft's alignment via a late left turn led to the wingtip strike and subsequent nose impact.