Nimbus 2 hits a power line on an outlanding approach begun below 100 m AGL

A Nimbus 2 pilot kept searching for lift by an emergency field near Bukovice, then flew a low approach; the glider hit a power line, the pilot was lightly injured and the glider substantially damaged. Finding no wave after the aerotow, he descended along the slopes. At about 200 m AGL, about 1.3 km from the field, he flew on to sunlit slopes and began the approach three turns later, below about 100 m AGL. The approach led over houses, obliquely into the sun. The gear door broke the top wire of a 22 kV line; the glider struck the ground and a fence and stopped 49 m beyond the line. The pilot climbed out unaided.

1. Wave flight from Mikulovice: The pilot was aerotowed from Mikulovice at 10:59 on a wave-camp flight and released at 11:06 near Bukovice, about 750 m above the terrain.
2. Lift search along the slopes: The pilot found no wave near the release point and from 11:08 descended along the western valley slopes, circling in search of lift.
3. Lift search continued at 200 m AGL: At 11:18, about 1.3 km east of the Bukovice emergency landing field at about 200 m AGL, the pilot flew on to sunlit slopes 400–1,000 m from it and circled there without a climb.
4. Approach begun below 100 m AGL: After the glider had lost height to below about 100 m AGL over three turns, the pilot turned to land on a field near where another glider had landed.
5. Low approach over houses: Descending at about 120 km/h and 5–7 m/s, the glider turned gently and crossed a road and houses at about 50 m AGL, sinking about 5 m/s, obliquely into the sun.
6. Wire strike; pilot lightly injured: The right gear door caught and broke the top wire of a 22 kV line 12 m above the ground; the glider struck the ground and a fence and stopped 49 m beyond the line. The pilot climbed out.