What happened
On August 16, 1970, a student pilot was conducting a solo training flight at the Fricktal-Schupfart airfield. After completing several successful dual-control training flights earlier in the day, the pilot departed alone in a Rhönlerche II glider, registration HB-595.
Following a series of maneuvers, including spirals, the pilot initiated a normal approach. During the descent, the pilot deployed the air brakes while simultaneously performing a right-hand glide. This action resulted in an exceptionally steep descent rate. As the aircraft passed over a cornfield approximately 8 meters above the ground, the pilot attempted to level the aircraft but reported losing situational awareness due to the low altitude.
Upon retracting the air brakes, the pilot allowed the aircraft to descend with a right wing low. The glider touched down approximately 40 meters before the start of the runway. During the subsequent rollout, the aircraft veered right from the landing course and struck a concrete airfield marker. The pilot remained uninjured, but the Rhönlyche II sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's training status, the aircraft's mechanical condition, and the airfield environment. The pilot was a student with approximately 11 hours of total flight experience, having recently completed several solo flights. The aircraft, owned by Segelfluggruppe Basel, was found to be in good technical condition with no pre-existing defects identified. The investigation also noted that the airfield lacked a designated landing strip or touchdown marker on the runway.
Findings
- The simultaneous deployment of air brakes during the glide created an excessively steep approach, which likely caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft's flight path.
- The pilot's reaction to the rapid descent and low altitude was a primary contributing factor to the loss of control.
- The pilot was in the early stages of solo flight training, a period characterized by an increased risk of error when encountering unexpected flight conditions.
- The lack of a landing strip or touchdown marker at the airfield contributed to the difficulty in managing the landing phase.