Un piloto de Olympia se desliza a través de un arnés flojo en un picado sin control
El piloto de un EoN Olympia 460 murió cuando el planeador picó sin control cerca de Parham y el ala izquierda se separó; planeador destruido. Desde un viraje a ~900 m AGL, el planeador sensible en cabeceo, centrado cerca del límite trasero, basculó más allá de la vertical. El piloto, ligero y de complexión menuda, se deslizó a través del arnés flojo bajo las cargas del picado, empujando la palanca adelante; tres intentos de recuperación fallaron. En el tercero, hacia ~150 m AGL, el ala izquierda sobrecargada falló por torsión. No se halló obstrucción de los mandos; centrado dentro de límites; ensayos en tierra reprodujeron el deslizamiento.
- Cruise thermaling flight: After an aerotow launch at 1145 hrs, the pilot cruised and soared locally for about three hours in good conditions near Parham.
- Sudden nose-down pitch: While in a gentle right turn at about 3000 feet agl, the glider abruptly pitched violently nose-down to well past the vertical.
- Aft CG and sensitive pitch: The aircraft type was known to be sensitive in pitch, with this flight’s centre of gravity towards the aft limit, increasing susceptibility to pitch disturbances.
- Loose harness fit: Post-accident tests showed that with the harness as found, a small pilot could slide through the loose straps in a vertical attitude, pushing the column forward and losing control.
- Uncontrolled vertical dives: From around 2000 feet agl the glider remained near-vertical in a high-speed dive, with three brief, unsuccessful pitch-up attempts that did not achieve a sustained recovery.
- Left wing structural failure: At an estimated 500 feet agl, during the third brief pitch-up, the left wing suffered a torsional and downward bending overload failure and separated in flight at roughly 600–800 feet.
- Crash - fatal: The fuselage and remaining right wing continued almost vertically down and impacted dense woodland, destroying the glider and fatally injuring the pilot.