What happened
On April 30, 2017, a Schleicher K 7 glider departed Detmold Aerodrome (EDLJ) for a local flight with two occupants. The flight began with a winch launch, reaching an altitude of approximately 460 meters. Following several previous successful launches that day, the pilot flew north and then southwest toward the eastern urban area of Detmold.
During the flight, the pilot performed a full left-hand circle at an altitude of approximately 180 meters. During this maneuver, the aircraft lost about 100 meters of altitude. Due to the reduced altitude, presence of headwinds, and nearby buildings, the pilot decided to perform an off-field landing on a large, grassy area within the city. The pilot approached the field from the east, landing with a tailwind.
In an attempt to manage excess energy and avoid obstacles, the pilot intentionally steered the aircraft between two trees. During the landing sequence, the aircraft struck trees approximately 25 meters in height. The impact caused the wings to shear off, and the fuselage came to an abrupt stop. There were no injuries to the two occupants, though the glider was destroyed and damage was caused to the surrounding landscape.
The investigation
The BFU investigation utilized GPS data from a collision warning device to reconstruct the flight path. The investigation examined the aircraft's condition, the meteorological environment, and the pilot's decision-making process. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's fuselage remained largely intact, though the wings and tail sections were severed upon impact with the trees.