What happened
On August 27, 2014, at approximately 18:40, a Glasflugel 205 club glider, registration D-8684, was involved in an accident near Les Crots, France. The flight began earlier that afternoon, around 14:30, departing from La-Motte-du-Caire for a local circuit flight. After gaining altitude, the pilot moved eastward to utilize thermals near the Espinasses area.
After nearly four hours of flight, having reached an altitude exceeding 2,150 meters, the pilot transitioned toward the northeast. Finding no usable lift near the Pic de Morgon, the pilot decided to head toward the Les Crots ultralight landing platform to conclude the flight. Upon approaching the landing site, the pilot attempted to find additional rising air. During this maneuver, the glider encountered a strong downdraft, causing the aircraft to strike the tops of trees. The glider subsequently fell into the treeline, where branches brought the aircraft to a stop.
The investigation
The investigation examined flight data and witness accounts to reconstruct the sequence of events. Investigators analyzed the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, noting that while thermal convection had been strong earlier in the day (reaching altitudes of 2,300 to 2,600 meters), it had weakened and largely dissipated by late afternoon. The weather was reported as CAVOK with a light 6-knot wind from 190 degrees.
Regarding the pilot's experience, the investigation established that the pilot had 504 total flight hours in gliders, including 250 hours on this specific type. The pilot also confirmed that while they initially had sufficient altitude to reach the landing site, they made a subsequent decision to attempt to regain altitude before proceeding to the landing platform.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's decision to change the flight plan by attempting to seek thermals at a low altitude despite deteriorating atmospheric conditions.
- The loss of lift was exacerbated by a strong downdraft encountered during the attempt to find rising air.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage due to the impact with the treetops.