1964 Grunau-Baby II Glider Accident near Lausanne (HB-120)

Investigation and Aircraft Details The Federal Commission of Inquiry into Aircraft Accidents opened a preliminary investigation on 27 June 1964. The aircraft involved was a Grunau-Baby II glider, registration HB-120, owned by the Groupement de vol à voile de la Section Vaudoise AéCS. The aircraft was built in 1934 and held a certificate of airworthiness valid until 1 July 1965. ## Pilot and Flight The pilot was a student born in 1943, holding a student pilot card issued on 10 February 1961. The pilot had approximately 20 flight hours and 93 landings, with 79 of those flights at Lausanne airfield. The pilot had transitioned to the Grunau-Baby type one week before the accident, with 64 minutes of experience in four flights. ## Accident Sequence The student pilot departed La Blécherette airfield at 1422 hours for a glider flight of at least 30 minutes, a requirement for a pilot license exam. After being towed to about 600 meters, the pilot remained airborne for nearly an hour. While preparing to land, the pilot overflew the threshold of runway 01 at about 150 meters, perpendicular to the landing axis. The pilot intended to execute three 90-degree left turns to align with the runway. After the second turn, the pilot was too low to reach the landing axis due to a row of trees. The pilot made a turn and attempted an emergency landing in a potato field at La Vallombreuse, about 0.5 km south-southwest of the runway threshold and 50 meters lower. ## Damage and Cause During the third turn for the emergency landing, the glider had only 25 to 30 meters of altitude. The left wingtip struck the ground, causing the glider to pivot and crash at 1521 local time. The pilot was uninjured. The glider's forward fuselage was destroyed, with 25 to 30 percent damage. Given the aircraft's age, repair was unlikely. Minor crop damage occurred. The investigation concluded the accident resulted from an approach error. The pilot was forced into an emergency landing under unfavorable conditions, leading to the crash.