What happened
On April 21, 2002, a pilot operating an LS-4 glider, registration PH-1253, was concluding a local flight near Soesterberg Air Base. After approximately three hours of flight time, the pilot was unable to locate further thermal lift and decided to return to the airfield.
During the approach, the pilot realized the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude to follow the standard traffic pattern to reach the landing field. In an attempt to reach the runway, the pilot flew directly toward the open terrain of the air base at a speed of approximately 90 km/h and deployed the landing gear. However, the aircraft's altitude was already too low to safely reach the designated landing area.
After retracting the landing gear and broadcasting an emergency message on the glider frequency, the pilot attempted to land within the tree line. To reduce speed for this maneuver, the pilot released the airbrake lever from its lock to increase the aircraft's pitch. The LS-4 struck several treetops at an altitude of about four meters before falling through the canopy and coming to rest on a forest path located just outside the air base perimeter.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight conditions and the mechanical state of the aircraft at the time of the incident. Investigators examined the weather conditions and the technical functionality of the PH-1253.
Findings
- The investigation found no evidence that weather conditions played a role in the occurrence.
- There were no indications of technical malfunctions or mechanical failures that contributed to the event.
- The pilot sustained no injuries during the impact with the trees or the subsequent fall to the forest path.