What happened
On March 24, 2008, at approximately 12:30 local time, a motor glider, model LS8-T, departed from the Markdorf glider airfield. The flight began via aero-tow with the engine propeller in the retracted position, intended for thermal soaring.
After several minutes of flight, the aircraft was observed circling south of the Gehrenberg hill. During a right-hand turn, the aircraft suddenly experienced a significant increase in longitudinal and lateral pitch. This led to the aircraft entering a spin, which resulted in a nearly vertical impact with the ground in an orchard at the eastern edge of Markdorf. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage and the flight circumstances. The investigation confirmed that the cockpit area was crushed upon impact, though the wings and fuselage remained connected. Structural breaks found in the wreckage were determined to be consistent with the high-energy impact.
The pilot had held a pilot license since 1979 and had approximately 597 total flight hours, including about 6 hours of experience on this specific model. An onboard LX 7007 flight logger was recovered; however, due to severe damage sustained during the crash, a reconstruction of the flight path was not possible.
Findings
- The aircraft was a single-seat, composite motor glider with retractable landing gear and a retractable engine.
- At the time of the accident, weather conditions were suitable for VFR, with 2/8 cloud cover at 3,000 ft and winds from 270°-290° at 15-20 knots.
- The sudden entry into a spin during a turn was the primary factor leading to the fatal impact.