What happened
On June 26, 2010, a single-seat Schleicher Ka 6 CR glider departed from Hayingen glider airfield for a cross-country flight. The pilot was flying in formation with another glider that had departed approximately ten minutes earlier. The flight path initially took the aircraft toward Ehingen-Schlechtenfeld. After roughly one hour of flight, the aircraft reached Schlechtenfeld airfield at an altitude of approximately 300 meters. Due to mediocre thermal conditions, the two gliders separated after reaching an altitude of about 700 meters, at which point the pilot of the Ka 6 CR notified the other pilot via radio of her intention to return.
At approximately 14:20, a witness on the ground observed the glider flying west toward Tigerfeld at the height of two trees. The witness noted that the aircraft was traveling at a noticeably slow speed and began a right-hand turn. During this maneuver, at an altitude of approximately 30 meters, the glider suddenly pitched down and impacted the ground in a near-vertical descent. The impact destroyed the aircraft and caused one fatality.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft, the flight conditions, and the wreckage. The investigation confirmed that the accident site was a grassy area located approximately 700 meters southeast of the edge of Tigerfeld. The impact was so severe that the cockpit area and both wings were shattered, the nose of the fuselage embedded 25 cm into the ground, and the tail section was completely severed from the fuselage.
Technical examination of the Schleicher Ka 6 CR revealed no mechanical defects or restrictions in the flight controls. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for visual flight rules (VFR), with visibility exceeding 10 km and light winds from the northeast at 3–7 knots.