Synopsis
On 5 July 2014, at approximately 14:55 local time, a Flight Design CTSW, registered as HB-WAL, operated by Aerotec AG, was destroyed in an accident during a go-around at Grenchen Airport (LSZG), Switzerland. The sole pilot sustained serious injuries.
Flight History
The pilot, a Luxembourg national born in 1970, held a valid PPL(A) and had accumulated 472 total flight hours, with 204 hours on the CTSW type. He had not flown the CTSW since August 2013. The flight was a private VFR training flight intended to include several touch-and-go landings.
After departure at 13:51, the pilot conducted flight exercises northwest of Lake Biel, then returned to Grenchen. He performed three touch-and-go landings on runway 25 at 14:36, 14:42, and 14:49. During the fourth approach, he requested another touch-and-go. At approximately 14:53, the aircraft was on final approach, appearing stable. Witnesses observed the aircraft climb steeply, then bank left. The left bank increased progressively, and the aircraft descended. With a bank angle of about 90°, the left wing tip struck the ground approximately 80 meters south of runway 25. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot exited the cockpit unaided and was transported to a hospital.
Cause and Factors
The investigation determined that the accident was due to a loss of control of the aircraft during a go-around executed inappropriately with a tight left turn at low height, leading to collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's choice of a too low approach speed and a low degree of training on the aircraft type. Additionally, a risk factor identified was that persons present were exposed to danger due to lack of knowledge about the hazards of an integrated rescue system.