What happened
On the afternoon of March 14, 1999, a SZD 55-1 glider, registration D-4407, was involved in a fatal accident near La Motte du Caire. The pilot, who was performing his first solo flight at the site following a dual-control check the previous day, had launched via winch at 14:50. At approximately 15:45, the pilot reported via radio that he was flying over the summit of La Malaup, located seven kilometers north of the airfield.
Shortly thereafter, at approximately 15:50, another glider in the area spotted the wreckage of the aircraft. The impact occurred roughly 100 meters below the summit of Mount Jalinier, approximately 5 km northeast of the aerodrome. The aircraft struck the tops of several small trees before ultimately crashing into a larger tree on a steep, south-west facing slope. The accident resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the glider.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the accident site to reconstruct the flight path and impact conditions. The investigation noted that the pilot had not flown since June 1998 and was relatively inexperienced on this specific type. Meteorological data collected at the site indicated winds between 14 and 20 knots from 140° to 160°, with visibility of 20 km. While cloud bases were relatively high, the investigation identified moderate to locally strong turbulence occurring on crests between 1,500 and 2,000 meters.
Findings
Analysis of the wreckage and the terrain suggested the aircraft was likely flying at a low airspeed at the time of the collision. The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was an incorrect assessment of aerology near the terrain, as the pilot likely encountered unfavorable atmospheric conditions created by the mountainous landscape.