Glider crashes near Leszno Airfield in Poland, killing 67-year-old pilot
A 67-year-old pilot died on Friday after a Jantar glider entered an uncontrolled spin at an altitude of 500 metres and crashed into a field near Leszno Airfield in western Poland.
Crash near Leszno Airfield
A fatal aviation accident occurred on the afternoon of Friday, 21 August 2026, near Leszno Airfield in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. Emergency dispatchers received an urgent notification shortly after 16:00 regarding an aircraft falling onto agricultural fields near Kosmonautów Street. The aircraft involved was a Jantar glider belonging to the Leszno Aero Club (Aeroklub Leszczyński), which had been rented by a male resident of Poznań. Most official municipal police and fire service reports identify the pilot as 67 years old, though one emergency service report listed his age as 70. The aircraft was operating a commercial flight and flew as one of at least two gliders active in the airspace at that time.
Sequence of the spin and impact
According to preliminary findings and witness accounts gathered at the airfield, the glider encountered difficulties during its flight pattern at an altitude of approximately 500 metres. While initiating an approach to landing on its third turn, the glider lost required airspeed, stalled, and fell into a spin. The aircraft executed several rotations before impacting the ground with severe force, leaving the sole occupant dead at the scene. Leszek Szabłowski, president of Aeroklub Leszczyński, described the sequence based on eyewitness accounts from the airfield.
From what I learned from witnesses, during the approach to landing on the third turn, the glider stalled, had no speed, and entered a spin.
Emergency response and site securing
First responders deployed immediately to the crash site following the emergency call. The Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Leszno dispatched two fire rescue crews to the scene near the airfield boundary. Upon arrival, fire crews operated alongside officers from the municipal police and paramedics from emergency medical services. Captain Dominik Wels confirmed the arrival and initial assessment by response units.
We received a report that a glider fell to the ground in the vicinity of the airport. Two fire brigades were dispatched to the site.
- The Jantar glider enters a stall and uncontrolled spin at 500 metres altitude during its third landing turn
- Two fire rescue crews, police, and paramedics arrive at the crash site near Kosmonautów Street after 16:00
- Police secure the site under prosecutor supervision and alert the State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation
Aviation investigation and inquiries
Senior Captain Szymon Kurpisz stated that fire rescue units concluded their operations on site once the perimeter was secured and the pilot's death was established. Police officers from the Leszno Municipal Police Headquarters took over the scene to conduct investigative procedures under the supervision of the local prosecutor's office. Investigators also notified the State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation to determine the mechanical and operational causes of the stall. Police representative Anna Stelmaszczyk detailed the initial evidence gathered by investigators regarding the flight profile.
From witness accounts, when the glider was at an altitude of 500 metres, it entered a spin. We do not know whether he wanted to perform this aerobatic figure himself or if it was unintended. In any case, it hit the ground, and the 67-year-old pilot died on the spot.
The Aero Club confirmed that the deceased aviator was an experienced pilot and an active member of the club.
