Flight History
The motor glider departed at 11:51 local time from the Bad Marienberg glider field on a VFR flight to Leutkirch-Unterzeil. The flight proceeded via Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, and Tübingen. Southeast of Tübingen, the pilot made two turns over the town of Lichtenstein and entered a southward-leading valley toward Traifelberg. During a turn-back maneuver in the valley, the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area.
The pilot reported that he had been flying above a scattered cloud layer that became denser, eventually reaching broken coverage. To avoid being trapped above the clouds, he decided to descend below the layer. He stated that the valley appeared clear and attempted to reach an alternate landing site (Übersberg glider field). After turning in one valley, he tried to continue through another valley but became enclosed by clouds. He then applied full power and initiated a climb, during which the nosewheel contacted a tree, leading to the crash.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft was a Diamond Aircraft Industries HK 36 TC Super Dimona, a two-seat low-wing motor glider with a fixed tricycle landing gear and T-tail. It was built in 1996, had a total operating time of 7,333 hours and 28 minutes, and was powered by a Rotax 912 S3 engine. The last inspection occurred on 1 October 2024, with 11 hours and 46 minutes flown since.
The 45-year-old pilot held a Sailplane Pilot License (SPL) with TMG (Touring Motor Glider) and ST (Tow) ratings. He had accumulated 323 hours and 51 minutes total flight time, of which 70 hours and 48 minutes were on motor gliders. In the 12 months prior, he flew 6 hours and 14 minutes on motor gliders. He held a valid Class 2 medical certificate.
Meteorological Conditions
The pilot did not log into the official pilot briefing portal before the flight, and no individual weather briefing was documented. Routine METAR reports and DWD data indicated visual meteorological conditions along most of the route. However, for GAFOR area 62, where the accident occurred, the DWD had forecast widespread visibility below 1.5 km and a compact cloud ceiling below 500 feet above reference level between 09:00 and 15:00 UTC, with isolated rain between 09:00 and 11:00 UTC. Witnesses near the accident site reported low, overcast clouds and poor visibility.
Accident Site and Wreckage
The accident site was located about 1 km southwest of Traifelberg at an elevation of approximately 750 m in rising, wooded terrain. Trees in the area were about 25 m tall. The first tree contacts occurred at an estimated height of 21 m above ground. Debris from the left main gear, left gear fairing, propeller, and right winglet tip were found at the initial impact point. The wreckage path extended 65 m in a 300° direction. The aircraft was destroyed. No pre-impact technical defects were identified; the pilot reported no anomalies during the flight.
Injuries
The pilot sustained multiple rib fractures, and the passenger suffered a hairline fracture of a vertebra. Both were hospitalized for several days.