1971 Standard-Cirrus Glider Accident at Montagne de Boudry (HB-987)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On April 18, 1971, a Standard-Cirrus glider with registration HB-987 crashed into a forest on the south slope of the Montagne de Boudry in the commune of Gorgier. The aircraft, a single-seat performance glider manufactured by Schempp-Hirth KG, was operated by the Groupement de vol à voile, Section vaudoise de l’AéroClub de Suisse, Lausanne. The glider had been imported new on March 6, 1971, and had accumulated 40 hours and 17 minutes of flight time with 32 landings at the time of the accident. The total weight of 299 kg and the center of gravity were within prescribed limits. The pilot, an Austrian national born in 1934, held a valid glider pilot license and had a total experience of 238 hours and 18 minutes. No prior accidents or regulatory infractions were recorded in his file, and his last medical examination on February 4, 1971, found him fit to fly.