What happened
On July 8, 2004, at 15:05, a Schempp Hirth Discus B glider, registration HB-1864, crashed into terrain near Châteaufort, France, during the first stage of the World Gliding Championships in mountain soaring. The pilot, a 38-year-old experienced flyer, departed from Vinon at 13:26 to complete a speed task involving several designated waypoints.
During the flight, the pilot encountered turbulence near the Col de Lure. While a crew member following the aircraft decided to descend due to approaching storm activity, the pilot chose to continue eastward toward the Gache mountain. As the aircraft traversed a narrow valley between the Lauzas and Gourras ridges, it struck the steep slope of the Gourras massif at an altitude of approximately 1,230 meters. The impact, likely involving the right wingtip, caused the aircraft to disintegrate while moving from east to west. The accident resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation reconstructed the flight path using onboard GPS data, which revealed that the pilot had deviated from the planned route toward Aiguines, opting instead to head toward La Javie to shorten the distance. Investigators examined the terrain and meteorological conditions, noting that the area was experiencing unstable weather with convective activity and rain.
Analysis of the crash site indicated that the presence of high-voltage power lines in the valley may have forced a late trajectory change. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the impact of wind conditions, specifically the presence of downdrafts (rabattants) caused by southerly winds hitting the ridges, which likely pushed the glider to a dangerously low altitude while crossing the valley.