What happened
On May 14, 1972, a pilot participating in a regional competition flight departed from Ecuvillens in a Ka 6 glider, registration HB-8lan, intended for a 75 km distance flight. During the mission, the pilot encountered several snow showers and was forced to descend to approximately 700 meters to fly beneath a thunderstorm front. Upon realizing that the aircraft could no longer regain altitude north of Burgdorf, the pilot decided to terminate the flight and seek a landing site.
The pilot selected a meadow near a barn in the Ersigen/BE area. While attempting a left-hand glide with airbrakes extended, the pilot realized that a tailwind made the primary landing spot unsuitable. To compensate, the pilot retracted the airbrakes and extended the approach over a small road toward a freshly mown strip of grass. During the final stages of the landing, the pilot attempted to avoid a lawnmower parked at the edge of the field. In doing so, the left wingtip struck tall grass outside the mown area, causing the Ka 6 to strike the ground heavily at 14:29 h.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's airworthiness, and the prevailing meteorological conditions. The pilot, who held a valid glider license, had 189 total flight hours. No medical issues or technical defects in the HB-874 were identified, and the aircraft was confirmed to be airworthy at the time of the incident.
Meteorological data indicated overcast skies with bases between 1600 and 1900 meters and intermittent light rain. While the pilot reported that the cockpit canopy was heavily fogged, limiting visibility to the left side, witnesses confirmed that the wind was blowing in the direction of the aircraft's approach.
Findings
- The pilot encountered a tailwind during the final approach, which prevented the intended landing within the original field boundaries.
- The decision to extend the approach over a road to reach a different landing strip introduced the risk of colliding with obstacles.
- The pilot executed maneuvers at an insufficient altitude while attempting to avoid a lawnmower.
- The left wingtip caught tall grass, leading to an asymmetric drag force that the pilot could not counteract.
- Reduced visibility inside the cockpit due to fogged glazing may have contributed to the difficulty in navigating the approach.