What happened
On June 5, 1972, at approximately 10:35 AM, a pilot departed from the Schaffhausen airfield to perform a triangular cross-country flight. The aircraft involved was an Elfe MNR HB-781. Three hours into the flight, before reaching the intended destination, the pilot was forced to perform an outlanding in a meadow located on the western edge of Mitteltal, in the Black Forest region of West Germany.
During the landing roll, the left wing made contact with grass approximately 45 cm in height. Shortly after this contact, the glider veered to the left and entered a narrow drainage ditch that was not visible to the pilot from the cockpit.
The investigation
The investigation examined the condition of the aircraft and the pilot's credentials. The HB-781 was found to be in good condition and fully airworthy at the time of the incident. The pilot held valid private pilot and glider licenses, with a total flight experience of 780 hours, including 137 hours on this specific aircraft type and 20 hours within the preceding 90 days.
Findings
- The pilot sustained no injuries during the event.
- The glider suffered heavy damage due to the impact with the ditch.
- The primary cause of the accident was that the aircraft entered a narrow drainage ditch that was hidden from the pilot's view by the terrain and vegetation.