Panne moteur du Janus CM entraîne un atterrissage en campagne près de Sheffield
Le 14 octobre 1996, un planeur motorisé Schempp-Hirth Janus CM a subi une panne moteur près du sud-ouest de Sheffield, Royaume-Uni. Le pilote n'a pas pu déployer et verrouiller complètement le moteur, ce qui a augmenté la traînée de l'appareil. Après un vol de pente, le pilote a tenté un atterrissage en campagne pour éviter des câbles électriques, mais a décroché, entraînant une chute de 20 pieds. L'appareil a subi des dommages importants, mais le pilote et le passager sont restés indemnes. Une inspection a révélé l'absence d'une goupille dans le mécanisme du moteur, empêchant le déploiement correct du moteur.
- Ridge-soaring flight: After a weather-related diversion from Longmynd to the Camphill area, the pilot spent about one and a half hours ridge-soaring before intending to use the engine.
- Engine fails to extend: When the pilot attempted to raise the engine, it would not fully extend and lock into position, and then became jammed in a partially extended, unusable state that increased drag.
- Mechanical roll-pin loss: A roll-pin securing the upper end of the engine extension/retraction spindle had fallen out, allowing the upper spindle pivot to unwind and preventing full engine extension and locking.
- Continued ridge-soaring, field selection: The pilot continued ridge-soaring while searching for and selecting a suitable upslope field across a valley for an outlanding.
- Approach over power cables: On approach to the chosen field, the pilot noticed a line of power cables late and decided to fly over them rather than adjust the approach path.
- Stall avoiding cables: During the manoeuvre to clear the power cables, the aircraft was stalled and dropped approximately twenty feet into the field.
- Outlanding - damage: The aircraft impacted the field heavily, causing minor nose damage and complete disruption of the tail, but the pilot and passenger were uninjured.