Incident Overview
On August 2, 2015, at approximately 18:00 local time, a Grunau Baby II glider, registration HB-120, was involved in an accident during the approach phase at Gruyères Airfield (LSGT). The glider was operated by Groupe de vol à voile de la Gruyère and owned by a private individual. The pilot, a Swiss citizen born in 1960, held a glider pilot license and had accumulated 698 hours and 19 minutes of total flight time, with 40 minutes on the accident type and 10 hours and 34 minutes in the preceding 90 days.
Sequence of Events
According to the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SESE), the glider entered a spin at an altitude of approximately 1000 meters above mean sea level. During the recovery attempt, the glider struck a tree and subsequently crashed into a forested area. The aircraft was severely damaged, and trees were also damaged. The pilot sustained no injuries or only slight injuries.
Investigation
The SESE conducted a summary investigation in accordance with Articles 45 and 46 of the Ordinance on Safety Investigations into Transport Incidents (OEIT). The nature of the accident was classified as a loss of control. No probable cause was stated in the report.