Schempp Hirth Janus CT accident at Faverolles-sur-Cher (D-KLAY)

Flight details and sequence of events On 8 August 2016, a Schempp Hirth Janus CT glider, registration D-KLAY, was operating a general-aviation cross-country flight in instruction. The aircraft carried an instructor and a student. The flight began at Amboise-Dierre aerodrome around 14:00 local time as part of a triangular navigation task of approximately 280 kilometres, accompanied by three other single-seat gliders. In the late afternoon, after passing the turnpoints at Chatellerault-Targe and Vierzon-Mereau, weather deteriorated as a front from the west-northwest ended thermal activity. The instructor diverted to Romorantin-Pruniers aerodrome, where the pilots landed around 18:30 before being towed again toward Amboise. D-KLAY was towed in third position around 19:40. The instructor released at approximately 1,450 metres altitude (1,360 metres height), below the cloud layer and about 40 kilometres from Amboise, to allow the final glider to be towed. At release, the instructor estimated a 10 km/h headwind and believed Amboise could be reached. Shortly after release, rain reduced horizontal visibility and degraded the glider’s glide performance, while the headwind component increased. The instructor judged that reaching Amboise was no longer possible and diverted to the private aerodrome at Montrichard, a field he had not previously used. ## Emergency landing and collision The instructor was unable to identify the Montrichard aerodrome. He selected a field he considered suitable for a field landing and approached it. Due to reduced visibility, he noticed several hay bales in the field late. He interrupted the approach at a height of 50 to 70 metres and turned toward another field to his left. He identified an east-west power line and turned to align with the field. At the last moment, he saw a second power line running north-south, perpendicular to the glider’s track. The glider struck an electricity pole on that line and a hedge before colliding with the ground. The aircraft was destroyed.