What happened
On June 4, 1966, a Ka-6 glider, registration HB-755, was engaged in a competition flight originating from the Bleienbach/BE airfield. During the flight, the pilot was forced to perform an off-field landing in a meadow located near Schmidigen, approximately 9 km north of Sumiswald. The chosen landing site was a mown area measuring roughly 15 meters by 90 meters, which featured a downward slope toward the edge of a forest.
While the pilot successfully touched down on the intended patch of ground, the aircraft's momentum carried it toward the sloping terrain. To avoid hitting the forest edge after traveling approximately 20 meters, the pilot executed a sharp turn. During this maneuver, the left wing struck a field of grain that was approximately 60 cm high. The impact abruptly jerked the aircraft, resulting in structural damage to the rear fuselage. The pilot sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the Ka-6 was properly registered and maintained by the Olten Gliding Group, with no evidence suggesting the aircraft was in an unairworthy condition. The pilot, who had approximately 195 hours of flight experience, held a valid glider license. Weather conditions at the time of the incident were determined to have had no direct impact on the accident.
Findings
Investigators determined that the primary cause of the accident was the selection of an unsuitable landing site. It was concluded that the pilot likely failed to fully recognize, or was unable to recognize from the air, the specific topographical configuration of the landing area, specifically the slope and the proximity of the forest boundary.