What happened
On July 28, 2006, at 16:36, a Centrair ASW 20 FL glider, registered F-CFFA, was involved in an accident near Fauch, France. The flight began at the Toulouse Bourg-Saint-Bernard aerodrome, where the pilot departed at 14:32. After releasing from a tow at 500 meters, the pilot announced intentions to fly a circuit toward Lavaur and potentially toward Graulhet, depending on weather conditions.
Following approximately 50 minutes of flight, the pilot reached Graulhet at an altitude of 500 meters and continued flying east. While searching for thermals near the Rasisse dam, the aircraft's altitude fluctuated between 700 and 300 meters. After nearly 100 minutes of flight, the glider began a descent from approximately 500 meters. Witnesses on the ground observed the glider approaching from the northeast, orbiting at a low altitude, and preparing for a landing. During the final turn, the left wing struck the ground while the aircraft was banked approximately 30 degrees to the left, causing the cockpit to impact the terrain violently. The accident resulted in one pilot seriously injured and the destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators reconstructed the flight path using data from the onboard GPS receiver, examined the wreckage, and collected witness testimonies. The investigation focused on the flight trajectory and the pilot's decision-making process regarding the flight's continuation under the prevailing meteorological conditions. While the site chosen for the landing was considered suitable for an off-field landing, the investigation could not determine the position of the flaps prior to the impact.