What happened
On 15 October 2019, a Rolladen Schneider LS7-WL glider, registered F-CGYB, was performing a slope soaring flight at Pic Saint-Loup in the commune of Cazevieille, France. The pilot had performed a towed takeoff from Saint-Martin-de-Londres aerodrome earlier that afternoon.
While executing maneuvers including figure-of-eight turns and spirals at an altitude of approximately 700 m, the glider passed the peak of the terrain at a height of only about 70 m. During this maneuver, the aircraft entered the downwind side of the terrain. The pilot subsequently lost control, and the glider struck the ground in a steep, nose-down attitude. The impact resulted in one fatality and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The BEA examined the wreckage and the flight path using data from the Open Glider Network (OGN) and FLARM. Investigators found that the flight control linkages were intact and the air brakes were retracted at the time of impact. The wreckage was not dispersed, and all structural damage was attributed to the collision with the ground and vegetation.
Regarding the pilot's experience, the 58-year-old pilot held an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL(A)) with 15,500 flight hours in airplanes, but had only 190 total glider flight hours. At the time of the accident, he was considered a pilot "in progress" for slope soaring, as he had not yet completed a full reconnaissance of the specific flight sectors with an instructor.
Meteorological analysis revealed a strong Atlantic flow with winds from the west/north-west at 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. While the wind was nearly parallel to the slope, the conditions were characterized by strong turbulence and the potential for small rotors on the leeward side of the terrain.
Findings
- The pilot entered the leeward side of the terrain at a very low altitude.
- The aircraft likely encountered rotors and severe turbulence caused by the wind passing over the crest.
- The proximity to the terrain prevented the pilot from recovering control before the collision.
- The investigation could not determine the specific reason why the glider entered the dangerous downwind zone.