Kraków 2019-09-18
The collision of the Su-20 piloted by Cpt. pil. Andrzej Pawul with a stork, on 1984-05-17.
Captain Andrzej Pawul, taking advantage of a break in training younger pilots on Su-7 U aircraft, could take a flight on the Su-20 aircraft. Task – individual training program – flight in the area at the mowing level. It took 22 minutes of flight. The pilot led the plane out of a narrow bend with a tilt of 60 degrees. Overload increased. The pilot inspected the instruments; height 200 meters, speed 750 km / h. A moment later, the events went unexpectedly. The first sensation registered by the pilot is intense pain. A strong blow to the face caused a temporary loss of vision. In the pilot’s ears remained the roar of the broken windshield. The pilot thought that he must "shoot" (catapult). He wanted to get ready, but his hand reflexively pulled off the control stick. The plane suddenly went up into the sky. The pilot regained full consciousness. He checked the deck instruments. Everything looked good. But the windbreak was broken. Shards of glass were covered with a shapeless, gray and red mass. The pilot’s powerful air pressed oxygen out of his lungs. There was a huge noise in the ears, a bang and a whistle. The pilot adjusted the oxygen mask and removed the feathers and remnants of the huge bird from his face. The pilot gradually calmed down, analyzed the situation and took over control of the plane. The flight altitude was 850 meters. He introduced the machine for horizontal flight. The pilot directed the plane towards his own airport, to which he had only a few minutes of flight. He made the decision that he would land an emergency landing with a height reserve. He tried to make contact with KL (flight manager), but no result. The radio station works, but because of the noise you can not hear anything. The landing was smooth and proper. The analysis showed that there was a collision with a stork. The main hit went like a cumulative bullet breaking the panes of glass, and then it smashed the angled viewfinder reflector and went over the pilot’s head. The pilot also got a blow. At WIML (Military Institute of Aviation Medicine), a dozen or so microscopic fragments were removed from the eyes of the pilot. Andrzej Pawul, for saving the plane, was awarded the title of "Meritorious Military Pilot of the PRL".
Written by Karol Placha Hetman