VSO 10 strikes an embankment at the end of a field while extending an outlanding
Landing out between thunderstorms on a junior championship task, the pilot of a VSO 10 was unhurt and the glider substantially damaged when it struck a road embankment at the end of a field in the hold-off. On final into wind the glider rose in a strong gust low over the ground and the planned touchdown was now long. The pilot extended towards the next field at 5 to 15 m AGL and about 100 km/h. That field ended at a road on a raised bank; the glider lacked the energy to clear it, struck it, bounced and landed hard beyond. The report judged the decisions to land out and to extend correct and found the impact could not have been prevented.
- Junior championship task: The pilot was aerotowed from Jihlava at 11:36 for a two-hour task of the Czech junior gliding championship; a thunderstorm was already near the airfield.
- Thunderstorms close in: After the second sector, about 17 km west of Jihlava and nearly two hours into the flight, storms closed in from both sides. The pilot broke off the task to land in a field.
- Circuit into wind to a field: The pilot picked a suitable field, flew a look-around turn over it and a circuit to land into wind, holding 100 to 110 km/h on final with the airbrakes.
- Touchdown long after a gust: After the final turn the air became turbulent and the glider rose in a strong gust low over the ground. The pilot judged the planned touchdown would now be long.
- Landing extended to the next field: The pilot flew on low towards the next field. The recorder shows 111 km/h at 15 m AGL 560 m from the stop, then 5 m AGL at 270 m and 95 km/h at 95 m.
- Road embankment at the field end: The field ended at a road on a slightly raised bank. In the hold-off the glider no longer had the energy to clear it and struck it.
- Bounce and hard landing past road: The glider bounced over the road and landed hard in a potato field. The front and rear fuselage broke and the fin tore out; the pilot was unhurt.