Rain blinds approach: Ka 4 wing catches maize before runway threshold

A Schleicher Ka 4 Rhönlerche II on a passenger flight at Wittinsburg (Switzerland) struck a maize field short of RWY 28 on a winch-launch circuit; both occupants were uninjured and damage was minor. The circuit was flown under overcast at about 150 m AGL with light drizzle. After release at about 120 m the pilot turned right base, then onto final at about 80 m. The rain intensified, canopy visibility worsened and the pilot lost his runway reference. The left wing caught the maize before the threshold, the glider yawed about 90 degrees left and touched down sideways on its skid, sliding across the grass to a stop nearly aligned with RWY 28.

1. Winch launch circuit: During an evening winch launch passenger flight, the glider released at about 120 m AGL and entered a right-hand circuit to land on runway 28.
2. Low cloud and drizzle: The flight took place under a low cloud base of about 150 m AGL with light drizzle, reducing overall visibility potential on approach.
3. Rain intensifies on final: After turning onto final at about 80 m AGL, the rain intensified and significantly degraded forward visibility through the canopy.
4. Continued approach blind: The pilot continued the final approach despite progressively losing visual reference to the runway through the rain-covered canopy.
5. Collision with maize: With runway reference completely lost, the glider’s left wing struck the maize field in front of the runway threshold, causing the aircraft to yaw about 90 degrees left in the air.
6. Outlanding - damage: The glider touched down sideways just before the runway markings, slid across the grass strip, and came to rest nearly aligned with runway 28 with minor structural damage but no injuries.