Tornado a baja altitud colisiona por detrás con DG 100 en clase E

El piloto de un Glaser-Dirks DG 100G ELAN falleció en una colisión en vuelo con un Panavia Tornado cerca de Hundseck; tripulación del Tornado ilesa. En vuelo de entrenamiento a baja altitud, el Tornado alcanzó al planeador por detrás, desde la derecha, a gran velocidad y le destruyó cola y ala izquierda. El DG 100 cayó casi vertical al bosque. La tripulación no vio al planeador hasta el impacto y probablemente no pudo detectarlo en aproximación. Ambos volaban VFR en espacio aéreo clase E compartido, donde se mezclaban tráfico militar rápido y civil lento a baja altitud — citado como factor. El Tornado, gravemente dañado, aterrizó sin novedad.

1. Local soaring flight: The DG 100G launched from Baden-Baden/Oos at 1326 for a private local soaring flight with other gliders and proceeded to cruise in the local area.
2. Shared mixed airspace: Both the glider and the Tornado were operating under VFR in lower-level Class E airspace where slow civilian gliders and fast military jets are permitted simultaneously.
3. High-speed Tornado approach: The Tornado crew conducted a low-level tactical training flight following terrain and visual landmarks, entering the Bühlertal area at high speed while searching ahead for the next landmark.
4. Late glider detection: The Tornado crew only noticed the glider directly ahead of them immediately before impact, leaving no time or space to avoid a collision.
5. Tail and wing destroyed: The Tornado struck the DG 100G from behind, first destroying its tailplane and then its left wing, causing an immediate loss of controllability for the glider.
6. Uncontrolled vertical descent: With its empennage and a wing destroyed, the glider entered an almost vertical, uncontrolled descent toward the ground.
7. Crash - fatal: The DG 100G impacted nearly vertically in a forested area near Hundseck and was destroyed, fatally injuring the glider pilot.