What happened
On July 11, 2015, at approximately 11:50 UTC, a Grob G 102 Astir CS Jeans glider was performing its fifth training flight of the day at Innsbruck Airport, Austria. The pilot was in the landing flare phase on glider runway 08 when the aircraft entered a left bank.
In an attempt to correct the aircraft's attitude, the pilot applied right aileron. This maneuver caused the right wing to make contact with the ground. The impact, likely exacerbated by the high grass on the landing strip, induced a rotation and placed the aircraft in a near-inverted position. Due to the high remaining airspeed, the glider struck the ground almost vertically on its nose.
The force of the impact caused significant structural damage to the aircraft. The forward fuselage broke on both the left and right sides, as well as underneath the control stick area. The cockpit canopy also shattered. The pilot sustained lacerations and contusions to the head, as well as cuts to the shin and ankle.
The investigation
The Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) conducted an investigation into the accident. The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's qualifications, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident.
Investigators confirmed that the aircraft's maintenance was up to date and that all required airworthiness inspections had been performed. The pilot held valid licenses and medical certification, and the aircraft's weight and center of gravity were within permissible limits. The investigation also reviewed the weather conditions, which were reported as VFR with light, variable winds and visibility exceeding 10 km.
Findings
- The pilot was in the landing flare phase with the aircraft in a left bank.
- An attempt to correct the bank with right aileron led to the right wing striking the ground.
- The high grass on the landing strip likely contributed to the wing strike.
- The high airspeed at the moment of impact caused the aircraft to rotate into a near-inverted position and strike the ground nose-first.
- The pilot had limited experience with this specific aircraft type, having only completed two previous flights in the Grob G 102 Astir CS Jeans that day.