L-13A Blaník sinks into rapeseed short of the airfield on a practice field landing

On a spring refresher flight at Brno-Medlánky, the pilot and instructor of an L-13A Blaník were unhurt and the glider substantially damaged when it sank into rapeseed short of the airfield on a practice field landing. Too high after the final turn, the pilot sideslipped with full airbrakes to about 30 m, then closed the airbrakes as sink increased. He pulled back to clear the crop and the speed fell; the tail caught the rapeseed, the glider dropped about 1 m at the field edge and swung round 180°. The cause was given as insufficient supervision by the instructor during the pilot's misjudgement of height over an obstacle next to the airfield.

1. Spring refresher, third flight: After the winter break the pilot flew a dual check circuit and a solo circuit, then was aerotowed again with the instructor to practise a landing into a restricted area.
2. Landing planned over rapeseed: The landing was planned on 090°, about 45° to RWY 16 and into the easterly wind, across a rapeseed field at the airfield's west edge, from a right-hand circuit.
3. Too high, sideslip to 30 m: After the final turn the approach was too high; at the instructor's prompt the pilot sideslipped with full airbrakes and ended the sideslip at about 30 m.
4. Speed lost over the crop: As sink increased the pilot closed the airbrakes fully; he pulled back to clear the rapeseed, the speed fell and the glider sank just short of the field edge.
5. Tail in the crop, 180° swing: The tail caught the rapeseed and the glider dropped about 1 m at the runway's edge; the right wing caught the crop and it swung round 180°. Both tailplane halves were bent back.