Ventus 2b and Mooney M20J collide mid-air; glider pilot bails out

The pilot of a Ventus 2b was lightly injured in a mid-air collision with a Mooney M20J near Auenstein; the glider was destroyed and the Mooney substantially damaged. The glider was cruising west at 1,285 m MSL behind two others; the Mooney was climbing on autopilot on a familiarisation flight. A strut and magnetic compass hid the glider from the Mooney crew for the last 5 seconds; the glider pilot saw the Mooney peripherally at 50 m. The Mooney had no collision-warning system, and the Ventus's Flarm could not see its Mode-S transponder. After impact the Ventus rolled uncontrollably; the pilot jettisoned the canopy and parachuted clear.

1. Cruise west of Aare, gliders in trail: A Ventus 2b released near Chestenberg at about 1,100 m MSL and later followed two gliders west toward the Gisliflue. A Mooney M20J left Lommis, turned south, and climbed on autopilot nearby.
2. Mooney crew view obscured 5 s before: From at least 5 seconds before impact the Ventus was hidden from the Mooney crew by a cockpit strut and compass in their sightline; flying on autopilot, they did not detect it in time.
3. Flarm can't see Mode-S Mooney: The Mooney carried only a Mode-S transponder and no collision-warning system; the Ventus's Flarm could not receive Mode-S, so it gave no warning of the approaching aircraft.
4. Both crews scan elsewhere: After crossing the Aare westbound the glider pilot looked north to assess weather, while the aircraft closed on converging tracks. He then caught the Mooney at ~50 m — too close to avoid.
5. Mid-air at 1,285 m MSL: At 12:18:52 LT the aircraft collided over Auenstein at 1,285 m MSL, the Ventus below the Mooney's left wing; its elevator and rudder lost effect, and the Mooney's wing and tank ruptured.
6. Pilot bails out, inverted: The Ventus rolled right and pitched nose-down. Finding the controls dead, the pilot jettisoned the canopy at ~1,200 m MSL and fell from the inverted cockpit; his parachute opened at once.
7. Glider destroyed; Mooney lands: The unmanned Ventus crashed in wooded terrain and was destroyed. The Mooney levelled off and flew back to Lommis; fuel selected to the intact right tank, the punctured left did not matter.