LS-6B impacto en terreno tras incapacitación del piloto
El 20 de marzo de 2002, el piloto de un Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B falleció en un accidente en Quinto, Suiza. El piloto, un ciudadano suizo nacido en 1946, perdió el control del planeador probablemente debido a una pérdida de conciencia causada por una nutrición inadecuada y deshidratación. El planeador chocó contra árboles, resultando en la destrucción de la aeronave y lesiones fatales para el piloto. Las difíciles condiciones meteorológicas y la falta de entrenamiento de vuelo reciente del piloto fueron factores contribuyentes.
- Winch launch climb: The pilot winch-launched from Ambri RWY 28 and climbed to about 550 m above the airfield before proceeding to soar along the northern ridge.
- Poor recent currency: In the eight and a half months before the accident the pilot had flown only a single 19‑minute check flight, despite having reported much higher recent experience.
- Inadequate hydration/nutrition: The pilot was in a state of fasting and advanced dehydration, with a completely empty stomach, minimal ketone-positive urine, and unopened food and drink found in the cockpit.
- Turbulent northerly winds: The flight took place in strong, turbulent northerly winds in a demanding mountain soaring environment, increasing pilot workload and control demands.
- Pilot loses consciousness: While soaring along the ridge after climbing to about 2,000 m AMSL, the pilot likely experienced impaired consciousness or brief loss of consciousness due to dehydration and inadequate nutrition.
- Loss of control: With the pilot’s consciousness impaired, control of the glider was lost and the aircraft entered a steep, uncontrolled descent toward the terrain.
- Crash - fatal: The glider impacted a forested slope at an estimated 70–80° nose-down attitude, destroying the aircraft and fatally injuring the pilot.