ASK 23 incident in Masel results in fatality after parachute deployment failure
On May 26, 2002, a Schleicher ASK 23 was involved in a fatal accident near Masel, Germany. The pilot, a student on a solo cross-country training flight, experienced an unusual flight profile and attempted to deploy a parachute from approximately 100 to 200 meters above ground. Unfortunately, the parachute did not fully open, and the pilot was fatally injured upon impact. The glider, flying without control, came to rest on a residential property, causing significant damage. The investigation did not reveal any technical faults with the aircraft.
- Cross-country thermaling: After a winch launch for a solo 50 km training triangle, the student pilot climbed in thermals to about 1000–1100 m and departed the home airfield area.
- Unusual high-speed descent: Near the first turnpoint, the ASK 23 left a thermal field on a north-northwesterly course at very high speed, entering a steep flight path with extreme positive and negative loads and strong wing bending.
- Abrupt height changes: Barograph data showed abrupt 200 m height loss followed by a short level segment and then a rapid, winch-like climb, indicating severe, abnormal vertical accelerations.
- Canopy jettisoned: At an estimated 100–200 m above ground in normal attitude and moderate speed, the pilot jettisoned the canopy using the emergency release.
- Low-altitude bailout: The pilot exited the glider with his parachute, but due to the very low height the parachute only partially deployed before ground impact.
- Uncontrolled glider flight: With the pilot gone and the center of gravity far aft of limits, the glider slowed, rolled into inverted attitude, and drifted uncontrolled over a residential property.
- Crash - fatal: The pilot was fatally injured when he struck the ground with an incompletely opened parachute, and the unmanned ASK 23 came to rest inverted on a house’s winter garden and garage, sustaining severe damage.