What happened
On July 11, 2022, at approximately 16:00 UTC, a Swift S-1 glider, registration OE-5607, crashed into agricultural land near the "Alfina" airfield in Castel Viscardo, Italy. The aircraft was performing a programmed aerobatic training session and was in the downwind leg of its approach for landing when the accident occurred. The pilot, a 19-year-old with significant experience in aerobatic competitions, sustained fatal injuries upon impact. The aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation utilized wreckage analysis, witness statements, and footage from a GoPro camera mounted inside the cockpit. Witnesses at the airfield reported that while the initial maneuvers appeared normal, the aircraft appeared to be flying at a much lower altitude and higher speed than expected during the final approach. The camera footage revealed that the pilot was performing a complex sequence of maneuvers, including a high-G maneuver (Figure 10).
Investigators noted that during the final stages of the flight, the pilot did not perform the customary "wing rock" to signal the end of the aerobatic program. The footage also showed the pilot attempting to use the cockpit ventilation to mitigate heat, suggesting the pilot was experiencing thermal stress. During the final 32 seconds of flight, the pilot appeared to struggle with situational awareness, performing an incorrect turn and extending the spoilers at a very low altitude, which led to a rapid loss of lift and a subsequent deep stall condition.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of aircraft control resulting from a probable loss of situational awareness.
- Contributing factors included physiological degradation due to thermal stress and the physical strain of high vertical accelerations (G-load) experienced during the aerobatic maneuvers.
- The pilot's failure to implement an effective anti-G straining maneuver (AGSM) likely reduced his tolerance to the rapid G-onset experienced during the final maneuvers.
- The investigation identified a state of cognitive impairment or "Almost Loss of Consciousness" (A-LOC) following the high-G sequence, which led to task saturation and the inability to manage the emergency landing effectively.