Discus B et ASW 27 entrent en collision dans une grappe de compétition

Lors d'une collision en grappe de compétition, le pilote d'un Schempp-Hirth Discus B a été tué et celui d'un Schleicher ASW 27 légèrement blessé ; Discus détruit, ASW 27 substantiellement endommagé. 10 à 15 planeurs enroulaient à gauche à ~1 000 m AGL. Le Discus a traversé le centre et viré à gauche dans le cercle de l'ASW 27 (~150° de décalage). Son aile gauche a heurté le cockpit de l'ASW 27 ; l'aile externe s'est repliée puis détachée ; le Discus est entré en attitude en spirale, impactant presque verticalement. L'évacuation a échoué malgré l'altitude : forces de rotation et absence de poignée de largage de verrière ont pu l'empêcher.

1. Competition thermaling: During the Bavaria Glide 1998 competition, the Discus b was circling in a thermal among a gaggle of about 10–15 gliders, all flying left-hand circles in an updraft.
2. Dense gaggle traffic: The Discus b and ASW-27 were part of the upper third of a dense thermal gaggle, with multiple gliders circling on similar tracks at about 1,000 m above ground.
3. Discus enters ASW-27 path: The Discus b flew through the center of the ASW-27’s circling pattern and then turned left into the same circle, with its path offset by about 150° relative to the ASW-27.
4. Mid-air wing collision: The left wing of the Discus b struck the cockpit/forward fuselage area of the ASW-27, causing immediate structural damage to the Discus b’s left outer wing.
5. Wing failure and spiral: Immediately after the contact, the left outer wing of the Discus b folded upward, separated from the aircraft, and the glider entered a spiral-dive-like uncontrolled attitude.
6. No successful bailout: Although altitude would have allowed a bailout in principle, the pilot did not escape the aircraft, possibly impeded by high rotational forces and a hard-to-find canopy release.
7. Crash - fatal: The Discus b struck a grassy hillside nearly vertically, destroying the glider and fatally injuring the pilot; the ASW-27 landed safely, its pilot only lightly injured.