What happened
On Tuesday, August 12, at 19:25, a Glaser Dirks DG 300 glider, registered HB-1898, was involved in an accident near Les Deux-Alpes, France. The pilot had departed from Château-Arnoux / Saint-Auban earlier that afternoon as part of a flight circuit through the Alps. While returning toward Saint-Auban, the pilot decided to deviate from the original route to avoid Briançon due to deteriorating weather conditions.
As daylight faded and thermal lift became unavailable, the pilot opted for a field landing. Seeking a location where rescue would be more accessible, the pilot targeted a landing site near Les Deux-Ailes. After performing a low pass over a local field to alert people on the ground, the pilot attempted the final approach. During the descent, it became apparent that the available landing distance was insufficient due to obstacles within the field. In an attempt to avoid these obstacles, the pilot targeted a road leading to the Alpe-d’Huez cable car. However, the pilot was unable to decelerate sufficiently, resulting in a collision with two cable car pillars. The impact tore the wings from the aircraft, and the glider came to a halt. The pilot survived the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making process and the environmental conditions at the time of the landing. Investigators examined the pilot's familiarity with the French Alps, noting that while the pilot had significant experience in the Swiss Alps, they had very little experience in the French region. The investigation also considered the impact of visibility and lighting, as the pilot reported being hindered by diffuse light during the reconnaissance of the landing site. Meteorological data confirmed that the valley was in shadow and the terrain was steep and rugged.