What happened
On May 29, 2007, a pilot participating in the annual OVERSEAS gliding competition was conducting a cross-country flight near Ocauna, Toledo. During the flight, the aircraft lost altitude due to a lack of sufficient thermal activity. Faced with a shortage of lift, the pilot began searching for a suitable landing site.
As the pilot approached the intended landing area near Herencia, Ciudad Real, the terrain was found to be dominated by vineyards. While the pilot initially identified a field that appeared to have low-lying vegetation, a final turn revealed the area was actually a vineyard of young vines supported by metallic posts and parallel wires. Because the adjacent fields shared these same characteristics, the pilot attempted to land between the rows of vines.
During the landing sequence, the pilot attempted to keep the wings above the posts and vines for as long as possible. However, the wings eventually struck the metal supports and vines, causing the SCHEMPP HIRTH DISCUS 2A, registration BGA 4843, to turn sharply to the left and come to an abrupt stop. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft's wings, tail, and fuselage, including loss of gelcoat and potential delamination. The vineyard also sustained damage to several vines and metal posts.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's flight experience, the meteorological conditions, and the sequence of the landing. The pilot was an experienced glider pilot with over 1,182 flight hours, including 158 hours on this specific type. Meteorological reports confirmed visibility was good, but thermal activity was insufficient to maintain the required altitude for the competition route.
Investigators analyzed the pilot's decision-making process during the competition. It was noted that the nature of competitive flying—prioritizing speed and points—can lead pilots to reduce altitude margins and decrease the frequency of searching for safe landing alternatives. Furthermore, the annual nature of the competition meant the pilot may have been unfamiliar with the specific terrain characteristics of the area, which consisted largely of unsuitable farmland.