What happened
On April 2, 2002, at approximately 18:00, a Rolladen Schneider LS 6 C glider, registration HB-3149, was performing a landing circuit at Mont-Dauphin aerodrome. Following a flight lasting four hours and fifteen minutes, the pilot attempted to land on the unpaved runway 34R.
Witnesses on the ground, positioned approximately 800 meters from the impact site, observed the glider performing a right-hand downwind leg. They noted that the aircraft was flying at a lower altitude than standard circuit height and appeared to be traveling at a low airspeed. As the glider completed the downwind leg, it turned to the right with a shallow, constant bank angle. During the final approach, the aircraft appeared to be aligned with runway 34L at an altitude of roughly 50 meters. The glider then pitched up, entered an asymmetric stall to the right, and entered a full spin before striking the ground.
The aircraft impacted the terrain nine meters to the right of the entrance to the paved 34L runway in a nose-down attitude. The landing gear was found to be extended and locked.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, the meteorological conditions, and the pilot's maneuvers. At the time of the accident, the weather at the aerodrome was characterized by CAVOK conditions, but with unusual winds from the east, ranging from 12 to 20 knots. The pilot was highly experienced, with 2,480 total flight hours, including 731 hours on this specific type of aircraft.
Investigators analyzed the aircraft's trajectory relative to the active runways. It was noted that while the pilot was attempting to land on the glider-specific runway (34R), the aircraft's path drifted toward runway 34L. It was determined that the pilot likely attempted to maintain sufficient altitude to correct the course and rejoin the intended runway.
Findings
- The accident resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the glider.
- The primary cause was an asymmetric stall during the final approach.
- The pilot failed to sufficiently account for the effects of the wind during the landing maneuver.
- The pilot's persistence in attempting to rejoin the glider-specific runway, despite the wind conditions, contributed to the loss of control.