What happened
On 25 July 2022, a Schleicher ASH 26 E motor glider, registration D-KWAY, was conducting a local flight near Aspres-sur-Buëch, France. After taking off from Serres-la-Batie Montsaleon, the pilot had climbed to approximately 650 meters using thermal lift before switching off the engine and retracting the propeller.
As the aircraft descended toward the valley, the pilot found no further updrafts and began an approach toward the Aspres-sur-Buëch aerodrome. Seeking to regain altitude, the pilot decided to deploy the propeller and attempt an engine start. At an altitude of approximately 260 meters and roughly 2.8 kilometers from the runway threshold, the propeller was extended, but the engine failed to ignite despite several attempts.
The deployment of the propeller significantly degraded the aircraft's aerodynamic efficiency, dropping the lift-to-drag ratio from approximately 40 to 10. Unable to reach the runway and lacking the altitude required to retract the propeller and perform a normal landing, the pilot prepared for a forced landing. The glider struck trees a few dozen meters from the runway threshold before coming to rest on the ground. The glider was substantially damaged, but there were no fatalities.