Accident Details
The accident occurred on Sunday, 25 June 1961, at approximately 1840 MEZ near Chippis in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The aircraft, a Piper Cub J3C registered as HB-OXG (manufacturer's serial number MDC 1036, built 1959), was owned by the Wallis section of the Aero-Club of Switzerland. It was powered by a 90 hp Continental engine and had a maximum takeoff weight of 580 kg; the estimated weight at the time of the accident was 500 kg.
Flight History
The pilot, born in 1935, held a limited professional pilot license (since October 1959) and a private pilot license (since June 1957), with about 270 hours of motor flight experience. On the day of the accident, he had flown a taxi flight from Sitten to Kägiswil (near Sarnen) and was returning to Sitten without passengers. He chose a route via the Brünig, Grosse Scheidegg, Kleine Scheidegg, Sefinenfurgge, Hohtürli, and Gemmi passes, climbing to about 3000 m. During the flight, he encountered rain showers and used carburetor heat intermittently. The engine parameters remained normal.
Engine Failure
After crossing the Gemmi at roughly 2700-2800 m, the pilot began a descent toward Montana. At approximately 1700 m near Salgesch, the engine suddenly lost power, with the propeller windmilling. The pilot attempted to restore power by moving the throttle, but there was no response. The carburetor heat was about two-thirds engaged at that time. Fuel examination after the accident revealed about 10-15 liters in the left wing tank and 20 liters in the right wing tank, and no contaminants were found in the carburetor or fuel lines.
Forced Landing
Realizing he could not reach Sitten, the pilot selected a field west of Chippis for a forced landing. He initially planned a downwind approach, but upon seeing smoke from an aluminum works, he recognized a strong valley wind. To avoid landing with a tailwind, he attempted a half left circuit to land into the wind. However, during the turn, the aircraft slowed and, just before touchdown, stalled and banked to the right, resulting in a heavy impact.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft was heavily damaged: both wings, half of the landing gear, the engine, and the propeller were damaged; the fuselage tail and empennage were largely intact. The pilot sustained only a minor scratch to his right eye and no other injuries. The chosen landing field was suitable and was occasionally used for training by local flight instructors.