What happened
On April 2, 1967, a Rhönlerche glider, registration HB-608, was involved in an accident near the Bern/Belpmoos airfield. While approaching the airfield, the pilot attempted an unconventional maneuver to avoid performing an outlanding. Approximately 500 meters before the start of the runway, the pilot attempted to fly over three electrical power lines by diving and then pulling up the aircraft. During this maneuver, the glider struck the pylon supporting the first of the 15-meter-high lines.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot, who had a limited amount of flight experience and had been away from active flying for an extended period, initiated the maneuver specifically to avoid landing in a field. The impact with the mast resulted in significant damage to the Rhönlarche aircraft. There were no injuries reported following the collision.