LS1F Glider, BGA4665, 9 August 2005

56 © Crown copyright 2007 AAIB Bulletin: 2/2007 BGA4665 EW/C2005/08/02 ACCIDENT Aircraft Type and Registration: LS1F Glider, BGA4665 No & Type of Engines: None Year of Manufacture: 1 976 Date & Time (UTC): 9 August 2005 at 1725 hrs Location: Near Husbands Bosworth Airfield, Leicestershire Type of Flight: Private Persons on Board: Crew - 1 Passengers - None Injuries: Crew - None Passengers - N/A Others - 1 (Fatal) Nature of Damage: Extensive damage to the left wing, left aileron separated from the wing and damaged right winglet Commander’s Licence: BGA Glider Pilot’s Certificate (Gold and Three Diamonds) Commander’s Age: 24 years Commander’s Flying Experience: 692 hours (of which 317 were on type) Last 90 days - 111 hours Last 28 days - 46 hours Information Source: AAIB Field Investigation Synopsis The accident occurred during a race as part of the Junior World Gliding Championships. During the final approach to cross the finishing line a glider, flying at a height of approximately 15 ft banked at an angle of about 20 degrees to the left, passed a group of spectators who were standing on vehicles outside the airfield perimeter. The left wing of the glider struck one of the spectators, a professional photographer, causing him fatal injuries. The glider made a largely uncontrolled landing in a nearby field. It was seriously damaged but the pilot was unhurt. The investigation concluded that gliders involved in the race had been flying unnecessarily low during the approach to the finish. The accident and other evidence suggested a problem with the safe conduct of race finishes and deficiencies in the training for and oversight of such events. Since this accident, the British Gliding Association has been proactive in trying to address some of these issues but its rules do not apply to gliding Championships conducted in the UK under the International Gliding Commission Rules. The AAIB made five safety recommendations. 57 © Crown copyright 2007 AAIB Bulletin: 2/2007 BGA4665 EW/C2005/08/02 Factual information History of the flight (pilot’s perspective) The pilot was participating in the Junior World Gliding Championships, held at Husbands Bosworth Airfield in Leicestershire. He was competing as part of the British team and on the morning of Tuesday 9 August, the third day of the competition, he attended a briefing for the day’s task. This was to be an assigned area task to be flown for a planned minimum duration of three hours. The pilot was aero-tow launched at about 1200 hrs and the start was opened at 1230 hrs. He crossed the start line at about 1300 hrs, flying between 3,500 and 4,000 ft, on a southerly track towards the first task area based on Towcester. The pilot flew into the area to a point near Kidlington before changing track to the west for the second area, based on Enstone. Here he flew into the area to a point near Chedworth, a disused airfield, before changing track for the final area based on Control Point East. This was a control point situated 10 km due east of Husbands Bosworth, designed to bring the competitors back to the airfield in line with the active runway. His final point was about 15 km from Husbands Bosworth Airfield at which time his flight computer was indicating that he already had sufficient altitude for the final glide back to the finish. The pilot recalls he was at between 2,000 and 2,500 ft which he believes was about 300 ft over his calculated minimum required for the final glide. The pilot began his descent for the finish line flying at 80 to 85 KIAS, in close proximity to another member of the British team who was about 100 to 200 m ahead. Conditions were good and the glider was not subject to any sinking air, allowing the pilot to increase his speed to 110 KIAS some 2 to 3 km from the finish. He continued his descent so that by 1 km from the airfield the glider was about 50 to 60 ft agl. The pilot continued his approach, crossing a field close to the airfield boundary in which was a set of wires. The presence of these wires was highlighted to pilots during each race briefing because a pilot returning to the airfield late in the day could be affected by a low sun ahead making these wires difficult to see. The accident pilot described his technique for crossing such obstacles. This involved flying low enough so that the obstacle could be clearly seen above the instrument cowling in the cockpit. At low airspeeds with a relatively high pitch angle, this would require the glider to be flown at or slightly below the height of the obstacle. He would then pull up in order to clear the obstacle. The pilot estimated the wires were suspended about 30 ft above ground level and that he would have flown below this height in order to see them against the skyline. He recalls pulling up to clear them by about 10 ft and then dropping down again on the other side to a height of about 15 to 20 ft to fly over the adjoining field. The field contained a standing crop of wheat and was bounded by a hedge. The pilot stated he could see a red box shaped vehicle ahead of him at the end of the field with about three or four people standing on it taking photographs. He did not recall seeing any other people or vehicles. The pilot also stated that he was flying towards the sun which, by then, was low in the sky. The pilot stated he was concentrating on the finish line and his intended landing for which he needed to identify a suitable area of the airfield. Several gliders had already landed and were clearing the landing area. He also needed to avoid his team mate and another glider, Both of which were finishing just ahead of him. The pilot remained aware of the people on the vehicle by the hedge at the edge of the field but considered he was high enough to clear them. He estimates by this point his speed had reduced to about 70 KIAS. He stated that the glider’s ‘clean’ stall speed is about 58 © Crown copyright 2007 AAIB Bulletin: 2/2007 BGA4665 EW/C2005/08/02 40 KIAS and that the minimum approach speed to land safely was about 55 KIAS. The pilot recalls easing back on the control stick slightly as he approached the hedge; but he did not recall banking. He stated that he looked out over to his right to see when he was clear of the photographers as they had disappeared from sight below the nose of the aircraft. Then suddenly there was a massive bang and the glider slewed to the left and climbed to about 100 ft. It then pitched down, yawed left and accelerated whilst he tried to regain control to raise the nose, control the yaw and bring the wings level. He then lowered the landing wheel in expectation of crashing in order to cushion the impact. The glider continued to roll right and the pilot applied full left aileron, but to little effect. He then instinctively opened the airbrakes and almost immediately the glider hit the ground, one wing low, slewing it round before coming to rest. The pilot was uninjured in the impact and was able to open the canopy, although it was slightly jammed. He climbed out and was soon met by various witnesses coming to his aid. History of the flight (ground perspective) As on previous days during the competition, a small group of spectators had gathered late in the afternoon under the final approach to the airfield to watch the gliders as they approached the finish line. On this particular afternoon, five vehicles had driven about 100 m off the main road, bounding the southern boundary of the airfield, along an unmade farm track which ran beside a hedgerow. This hedgerow was about 900 m east of the landing area and the position of the vehicles was under the flight path of the gliders as they came in to land (see Figures 1 and 2). Some of the occupants then climbed on to their vehicles to get a view over the hedge of the gliders coming towards them. Amongst these spectators was a small group from one of the gliding teams standing on top of their red van. Next to them was parked

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LS1F Glider, BGA4665, 9 August 2005

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