What happened
On May 22, 2000, at approximately 20:10, a Rolladen-Schneider LS6C glider, registration D-7390, was involved in an accident during a ferry flight at the Solliements-Sardières aerodrome. The pilot had originally departed from Barcelonnette for a local flight but, unable to find sufficient thermals, decided to land at Sollières-Sardières.
To return to Barcelonnette, the pilot arranged for a towplane to retrieve the glider. During the takeoff roll, no ground crew was present to steady the glider's wing. As the aircraft reached a height of approximately fifty centimeters, the left wing tilted and struck the ground. This caused the glider to roll onto its back and impact the ground violently. During the sequence, the tow cable disconnected automatically, prompting the towplane to abort its takeoff.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances of the takeoff and the pilot's decision-making process. Investigators noted that the pilot had completed 15 hours of flight time in the three days preceding the accident, which may have contributed to fatigue. Additionally, the lack of ground assistance during the takeoff roll was identified as a critical factor in the loss of directional control.