What happened
On June 18, 2006, at approximately 12:49 PM, a student pilot departed from Kempten-Durach airfield in a single-seat Schleicher Ka 6CR glider. The flight was a powered tow intended for thermal soaring in the vicinity of the airfield. Prior to this solo flight, the student had completed a supervised training flight in a two-seat ASK 21 glider with an instructor.
After approximately 20 minutes of flight time, the glider was observed at an altitude of about 250 meters. While performing a circuit pattern, the aircraft entered a spin. The aircraft completed approximately one to two rotations in the spin without any visible recovery attempt before impacting the ground in a nearly vertical attitude. The impact destroyed the aircraft and resulted in the fatal injury of the student pilot.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage and the flight history of the student. The investigation confirmed that the student had been training since April 2004, primarily using the ASK 21 model. While the student had completed theoretical training on spin recovery, practical experience with actual spins was limited because the ASK 21 model used for most training flights cannot enter a spin without significant center-of-gravity adjustments. The student had recently transitioned to the Schleicher Ka 6CR, having performed only a few hours of solo flight in this specific model.
Technical inspections of the Schleicher Ka 6CR revealed no mechanical failures. All control linkages were intact, secure, and functional, with any observed damage attributed to the impact. The aircraft's weight and balance were within permissible limits, and no evidence of an attempted emergency egress was found. Medical examinations of the pilot ruled out the influence of drugs or alcohol and found no underlying health issues that would have contributed to the accident.