ASW 24B crashes into forest near Oerlinghausen during approach
On April 27, 2000, an Alexander Schleicher ASW 24B crashed into a forest near Oerlinghausen during its approach to land. The glider was returning from a local thermic flight when it encountered strong tailwinds and low altitude. The pilot attempted a steep right turn at a slow speed, causing the glider to stall and descend into the trees. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. No third-party damage was reported.
- Winch launch thermaling: The pilot conducted a winch launch at 16:20 for a local thermic flight and later returned toward Oerlinghausen airfield to land.
- Gusty crosswind present: During the approach the airfield had a gusty 12–22 kt crosswind from 90° to the landing direction of 40°, creating challenging wind conditions.
- Wind misjudged: While planning the landing pattern the pilot misjudged the wind conditions at the airfield, not adequately accounting for the tailwind component on the downwind leg.
- Low, tailwind downwind leg: At about 90 m height the pilot flew a shortened downwind/ base leg under tailwind conditions, allowing the glider to drift southwest over adjacent woodland.
- Slow, steep right turn: In low height over the forest the pilot flew at conspicuously low airspeed and attempted a steep right turn toward final approach.
- Stall and loss of control: During the steep turn the glider’s stall speed was exceeded, it rolled off to the side into an over‑stalled condition, and the low altitude left no room for recovery.
- Crash - fatal: The glider descended into the trees about 400 m before the runway and 200 m before the airfield boundary, was destroyed, and the pilot later died from his injuries.