What happened
On August 31, 2009, at 12:59 local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus B 16.6 glider, registration D-6767, crashed into a ridge near La Pare, in the Seyne region of the Southern Alps. The pilot, a 39-year-old experienced glider pilot, was conducting a local flight as part of a soaring trip in the area.
Data recovered from the aircraft's ILEC glide computer showed the glider was descending at approximately 600 feet per minute when it crossed the ridge at an altitude of only 80 meters. Evidence from the wreckage and ground impact marks indicated that the aircraft was in a left-hand bank and traveling at a high velocity at the moment of impact. The collision resulted in the death of the pilot and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path, the mechanical condition of the aircraft, and witness accounts. Investigators analyzed data from three onboard flight computers, including a FLARM and a Volkslogger, to reconstruct the flight trajectory.
A witness, a former flight chief at the local soaring site, observed the glider performing standard ridge soaring maneuvers in the area. The witness noted that the pilot's handling appeared jerky and lacked fluidity, characterized by high speeds, unstable pitch, and significant bank angles. Shortly after the aircraft moved out of the witness's line of sight, an unusual noise was heard coming from the direction of the glider.
Physical examination of the wreckage confirmed that the landing gear, flaps, and airbrakes were all in the retracted position. The investigation established that there were no mechanical failures prior to the collision with the terrain.