What happened
On July 11, 2010, a student pilot conducted a solo training flight at the Singhofen glider airfield using a Schleicher Ka 6 CR. The flight began at 14:49 local time via winch launch. After releasing from the winch at an altitude of approximately 300 meters, the pilot performed several circles while searching for thermals. Following instructions from an instructor on the ground via radio, the pilot began an approach for a shortened landing pattern. While flying over a rapeseed field adjacent to the airfield, the glider lost altitude at a low flight level and struck the crop, which was approximately 1.2 meters high.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the flight path and the condition of the aircraft. The investigation established that the impact occurred approximately 20 meters north of the grass runway. The aircraft struck the ground with a longitudinal pitch of approximately 30 degrees. The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the glider, which had a total time of 2,079 hours, had undergone its most recent annual inspection in March 2010. No technical defects were identified in the aircraft following the examination.
Findings
- The pilot sustained serious injuries during the impact.
- The Schleicher Ka 6 CR sustained heavy damage, including a compressed forward fuselage, damaged wings, and a cracked canopy.
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of altitude during a low-level maneuver over a field of crops.