Colisión en el aire entre Ventus CM y ASH 26E cerca de Bütthard resulta en muertes

El 16 de julio de 2006, ocurrió una colisión en el aire cerca de Bütthard, Alemania, que involucró a un Schempp-Hirth Ventus CM y un Alexander Schleicher ASH 26E. Ambos planeadores motorizados volaban en condiciones térmicas cuando colisionaron a aproximadamente 1000 metros sobre el suelo. La colisión resultó en la destrucción de ambas aeronaves y la muerte de los dos pilotos. El Ventus CM se estrelló contra líneas eléctricas y se incendió, mientras que el ASH 26E impactó en el techo de un edificio residencial. La investigación no encontró fallos técnicos en las aeronaves, y la colisión no fue observada por los pilotos.

1. Cross-country thermaling: The Ventus CM departed Mannheim for a cross-country soaring flight and was cruising with the engine retracted while using thermals in visual meteorological conditions.
2. Shared thermal use: Both motor gliders were circling or climbing in the same thermal updraft near Bütthard at about 1000 m above ground, creating a risk of conflict in close proximity.
3. Limited visual detection: Despite good weather, the pilots did not visually detect each other in time, indicating human see-and-avoid limitations without additional onboard collision warning aids.
4. Unseen opposing traffic: The Ventus CM and the ASH 26E approached each other on nearly opposite headings within the thermal without either pilot recognizing the developing collision course.
5. Frontal mid-air impact: The left wing of the Ventus CM struck and severed the cockpit area of the ASH 26E near its wing–fuselage junction, tearing off the Ventus’s left wing and fatally injuring the ASH pilot.
6. Uncontrolled descents: With the ASH 26E cockpit destroyed and the Ventus CM missing its left wing, both aircraft entered uncontrolled descents; the ASH 26E fell onto a house roof while the Ventus CM fuselage fell into an overhead power line and burned.
7. Crash - fatal: Both motor gliders were destroyed and both pilots were fatally injured, with additional damage to residential buildings and power lines on the ground.