Super Blanik hits an airfield embankment after settling below approach speed

Settling below approach speed short of RWY 33 at Kyjov after a short local flight, a Super Blanik struck the airfield boundary bank; both pilots were unhurt and the glider was substantially damaged. On downwind the second pilot took over and turned final at 200–220 m AGL. Expecting to land long, he opened the airbrakes slightly, met fairly strong sink and closed them for good. About 20 m short of the airfield the glider was down to about 70 km/h, below the handbook's 75–85. The tail caught the rapeseed and the glider bounced onto the airfield edge, turned about 90° left.

1. Aerotow and return to the field: The front-seat pilot was aerotowed from Kyjov at about 11:00 to look for thermals and released after about five minutes. Finding no climb to stay up, he returned to the airfield.
2. Circuit to the powered strip: He joined the left-hand downwind for RWY 33 at about 250 m AGL. With several gliders on the left side of the runway, the crew chose its right side, the strip used by powered aircraft.
3. Control handed over on downwind: The front-seat pilot asked the second pilot to take over and fly the landing. The second pilot flew on at 80–90 km/h and turned final at 200–220 m AGL.
4. Airbrakes closed in sink: Judging they would land long even with a light headwind, he opened the airbrakes slightly. In fairly strong sink (he read 4–5 m/s) he closed them at once and did not use them again.
5. Settled short at about 70 km/h: Sure they would pass through the sink in a moment, he continued; it lasted to about 20 m above a rapeseed field, at 90 km/h. About 20 m short of the mown airfield the glider settled at about 70 km/h.
6. Tail in the crop, nose into bank: The tail caught the rapeseed, which slowed the glider, and the nose struck the raised bank bounding the airfield. It bounced and came down on the airfield edge, turned about 90° left.