What happened
On October 26, 2019, at approximately 15:30 local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus C glider, registration D-6568, crashed on the southern slope of Mount Puigpedrós in the Cerdanya region of Girona. The flight began at 14:26 at La Cerdanya aerodrome, where the glider was towed by an aircraft for ridge soaring operations. After an initial climb, the pilot released from the tow plane at an indicated altitude of 2,200 meters.
The pilot spent approximately one hour utilizing local thermal currents in the Meranges valley. According to witness accounts and onboard video evidence, the pilot maintained control of the aircraft for most of the flight, though the video recorded two brief instances of low-speed stalls that were quickly recovered. However, at approximately 15:30, the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The glider impacted the terrain at a steep vertical angle with a significant lateral tilt, primarily affecting the right wing. The impact was severe, causing the nose to penetrate 60 centimeters into the ground and resulting in the destruction of the forward fuselage and cockpit. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the crash.
The investigation
Investigators from the CIAIAC examined the wreckage, onboard video and audio recordings, and GPS data from the FLARM system. The investigation focused on the flight path, the aircraft's mechanical condition, and the pilot's performance.
Key elements examined included:
- The aircraft's maintenance history, which showed a recent inspection in June 2019 and no findings of mechanical failure in the control surfaces.
- The meteorological conditions, which were found to be favorable for VFR flight, characterized by clear skies and light thermal activity.
- The pilot's flight experience, noting that the pilot was highly experienced in the local area and type of flight, despite a recent period of inactivity due to injury.
- The onboard video, which provided a continuous record of the flight, including the pilot's radio communications and the aircraft's airspeed.
Findings
- The pilot was highly experienced in glider operations and familiar with the specific aircraft and local terrain.
- The meteorological conditions were not limiting, though thermal activity was light.
- The aircraft's control surfaces and mechanical systems were functional and showed no signs of malfunction prior to the impact.
- Analysis of the onboard video revealed that the aircraft's average indicated airspeed during the flight was lower than the recommended operating range for this aircraft type.
- The probable cause of the accident was a loss of control of the aircraft, the origin of which could not be determined.