PZL Bielsko Jantar crashes after stall during winch launch at Jena-Schöngleina
On August 11, 1998, a PZL Bielsko Jantar experienced a stall during a winch launch at Jena-Schöngleina, Germany. The glider entered a steep climb, resulting in a stall and subsequent crash from a height of 40-50 meters. The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed. The investigation revealed no mechanical issues, but noted the possibility of the pilot's health affecting reaction time. Weather conditions were favorable at the time of the incident.
- Winch launch climb: During a winch launch for a planned thermalling flight, the glider climbed after liftoff from runway direction 200° at Jena-Schöngleina.
- Excessive pitch-up: Immediately after becoming airborne, the glider was flown into a climb with an excessively high angle of attack, resulting in an overly steep climb attitude.
- Low launch height: The developing abnormal attitude and speed occurred at a low winch launch height of about 40–50 m, leaving little altitude margin for recovery.
- No correction made: The pilot did not correct the excessive pitch and high angle of attack during the initial winch climb.
- Stall and wing drop: As the airspeed decreased below stall speed in the steep climb, the glider stalled and rolled off over the left wing, entering further rotation about both pitch and roll axes.
- Crash - fatal: From approximately 40–50 m height the glider impacted the ground almost vertically in a slight inverted attitude about 100 m from the launch point, fatally injuring the pilot and destroying the aircraft.