Kollision in der Luft zwischen ASK 21 und DG-600 bei Schupfart führt zu zwei Todesopfern

Am 4. Juni 2001 ereignete sich eine Kollision in der Luft zwischen einer Alexander Schleicher ASK 21 und einer DG Flugzeugbau DG 600-18 in der Nähe des Flugplatzes Fricktal Schupfart, Schweiz. Die ASK 21, die zwei Piloten an Bord hatte, kollidierte während des Fluges mit der DG 600-18, was zur Zerstörung beider Segelflugzeuge führte. Die Kollision führte zu den tragischen Todesfällen beider Piloten in der ASK 21, während der Pilot der DG 600-18 mit Verletzungen überlebte, nachdem er seinen Fallschirm eingesetzt hatte. Der Unfall wurde darauf zurückgeführt, dass die Piloten sich nicht rechtzeitig sahen, um die Kollision zu vermeiden.

1. Aerotow — local soaring: The DG-600 launched by aerotow from Schupfart at 11:48 and, after release southeast of the field, turned left and flew straight toward an area with several circling gliders near cloudbase.
2. Congested thermal area: Around the time of the DG-600’s release there were already several gliders operating near a low cloudbase of about 1100–1200 m MSL south of the airfield, concentrating traffic in a relatively small area.
3. Limited visual acquisition: Weak, broken thermals, possible cloud fragments, and the difficulty of seeing white gliders against a bright background reduced the likelihood of early visual detection between the DG-600 and the ASK 21.
4. Gliders converge unseen: Approximately 40 seconds after release, the ASK 21 approached from the DG-600’s right rear and slightly below, and neither crew detected the conflict in time to initiate an avoiding maneuver.
5. Mid-air collision: The DG-600, flying essentially straight, struck the left side of the ASK 21’s tail with its right wing, the ASK 21’s tailplane then impacting the forward fuselage of the DG-600 and severely damaging both aircraft at about 1150 m MSL.
6. DG-600 pilot bailout: After feeling the collision and loss of canopy, the DG-600 pilot released his harness, exited the aircraft, deployed his parachute, and steered to land in a field instead of the nearby forest.
7. Crash - fatal: The unmanned DG-600 descended into trees and the ASK 21, likely in a steep, possibly inverted attitude without elevator control, crashed into the forest with both pilots fatally injured while the DG-600 pilot survived with serious leg injuries.