Ka 6CR incident at Kempten-Durach results in fatality during training flight
On June 18, 2006, a training flight involving an Alexander Schleicher Ka 6 CR at Kempten-Durach ended tragically. The student pilot, who was flying solo, entered a spin from which recovery was not achieved. The glider impacted the ground almost vertically, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the fatal injury of the pilot. Weather conditions were favorable, and no technical issues were found with the aircraft. The student had been trained primarily on an ASK 21, which does not easily enter a spin, potentially limiting practical spin recovery experience.
- Aerotow thermaling flight: The student pilot launched by aerotow in a single-seat Ka 6CR from Kempten-Durach for a solo thermaling training flight near the airfield.
- Limited spin training: The student’s practical training in spins had been conducted mainly on an ASK 21, which does not readily enter a spin, so he had no real in-flight spin experience on that type.
- Low altitude in circuit area: After about 20 minutes of flight the glider was thermaling near the airfield at roughly 250 m altitude, leaving limited height margin for spin recovery.
- Stall in turning flight: While circling near the airfield, the student allowed the airspeed to drop below the minimum for the banked turn, causing the Ka 6CR to enter an over‑stalled condition.
- Unrecovered spin: The over‑stalled glider departed into a spin and completed about one to two turns with no observable recovery action from the pilot.
- Crash - fatal: Still in a near-vertical attitude, the glider impacted a meadow about 1 km southeast of Kempten-Durach, destroying the aircraft and fatally injuring the student pilot.