What happened
On 12 January 2008, a solo gliding flight departed from Worcester Aerodrome, traveling along the Langeberg mountain range. The pilot of the DG-808C, registration D-KLLR, initially flew in company with two visiting German pilots. While the aircraft maintained radio contact and visual separation for much of the flight, the pilot of D-KLLR eventually reported falling behind the other aircraft.
As the flight progressed, wind conditions shifted, blowing parallel to the mountain ridge and eliminating the updrafts necessary for effective ridge soaring. The accompanying pilots decided to return to Worcester Aerodrome, but after landing, they realized they could no longer establish contact with the solo pilot. Following an official search initiated by the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre, the wreckage was discovered two days later on the southern side of the mountains, approximately 10 nm east of Swellendam. The pilot sustained one fatality in the crash.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and recovered data from the aircraft's flight computer. The investigation established that the aircraft, which had only 38.5 hours of total airframe time, showed no signs of mechanical failure or engine malfunction. The engine and propeller remained in their retracted positions, suggesting no attempt was made to utilize motor power.
Analysis of the flight path revealed that the pilot had been flying along the mountain range for a significant distance before initiating a left turn toward the ridge. The flight computer data indicated the aircraft was flying in a north-northwesterly direction at the time of impact. The investigation also noted that the pilot had been involved in a very similar accident in the same mountain range in February 2005.
Findings
- The pilot was flying on the leeward side of the mountain, a position that was not conducive to soaring due to the 15-knot north-northwesterly winds.
- The aircraft was flying at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet AMSL, which was roughly 500 feet below the mountain peak.
- The pilot flew too close to the ridge, potentially encountering severe turbulence or a downdraft that forced the aircraft into the terrain.
- There was no evidence of a distress call or any attempt to use a parachute prior to the impact.