What happened
On August 17, 2005, at approximately 14:30 UTC, a Glasflügel 304 B glider was engaged in a ridge soaring training flight near the Reuttener Hahnenkamm in Tyrol, Austria. The pilot had departed from the Reutte-Höfen airfield earlier that day as part of an advanced training course focused on ridge soaring techniques.
During the flight, the pilot was navigating north along the western slope of the Hahnenkamm at an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters MSL. While flying over a forested ridge adjacent to an unwooded basin, the aircraft's wings struck two spruce trees. The impact caused the glider to lose its wings, leading to a catastrophic structural failure. The aircraft subsequently crashed onto a rocky steep slope.
The investigation
The investigation was reconstructed using eyewitness accounts and findings from the investigation unit. The investigation noted that other glider pilots and paragliders were active in the area at the time of the accident. Notably, a paraglider pilot had recently been forced to retreat from the western side of the Gaichtspitze/Hahnenkamm due to strong downdrafts on the lee side.
Findings
- The pilot was performing a training flight involving ridge soaring.
- The aircraft lost its wings following a collision with two spruce trees.
- The accident resulted in one fatality (the pilot).
- The aircraft sustained total loss (total damage).