Ventus-2cT / E1 Antares competition mid-air — Ventus turned inside in thermal

A Ventus-2cT and a Lange E1 Antares collided in a shared thermal south of Melton Mowbray during a competition; the Ventus pilot was fatally injured, the Antares landed safely. The Antares was circling left when the Ventus joined at the same height behind and below, in both gliders' blind spots. After three matched turns, the Ventus tightened its bank on the fourth as the Antares reduced bank to leave; the Ventus turned inside into conflict. The Antares' right wing severed the Ventus's tail at ~880 m MSL; the Ventus tumbled ~18 s into ground impact. Investigators cited convergence in blind spots that FLARM did not resolve.

1. Competition cross-country thermalling: Both gliders were competing in a multi-day BGA competition at Husbands Bosworth. After the first task leg, both were thermalling near Melton Mowbray to gain height.
2. Same thermal, same height: Antares joined a thermal circling left, as another glider was already doing; Ventus joined shortly after at similar height, positioned in both gliders' typical blind spots.
3. Blind spots, sun obscuration: The sun was at ~50° in the SSW, and the Ventus pilot was looking toward it in Antares's direction. Both gliders were white with no contrast paint, each in the other's blind spot.
4. FLARM didn't avert the collision: Both gliders carried PowerFLARM, which would have given 4-5 s warning if configured correctly. Antares's FLARM was at default 'Low'; Ventus's settings could not be recovered.
5. Ventus turns inside Antares: On the fourth turn, the Ventus pilot increased bank while the Antares pilot reduced bank to exit the thermal; this brought the Ventus inside Antares's circle, ending their separation.
6. Antares wing severs Ventus tail: At ~880 m AMSL, the Antares's right wing struck and severed the Ventus's rear fuselage and fin from below. The rudder cables, pushrod, and pitot tubes failed in overload.
7. Uncontrolled tumble ~18 s: With its tail detached, the Ventus tumbled out of control for ~18 seconds. No attempt was made to jettison the canopy or deploy the parachute, possibly due to the forces.
8. Ground impact, Ventus pilot fatal: The Ventus struck rough ground nose-down near Melton Mowbray, destroyed, killing the pilot. The Antares landed safely with wing damage; its pilot was uninjured.