Two LS 7-WL gliders collide head-on at 3,500 m MSL over an alpine valley

Two LS 7-WL gliders collided nearly head-on at ~3,500 m MSL over the Aegenetal valley; both pilots bailed out and were seriously injured on landing, both gliders destroyed. Glider 1 was tracking NW toward Nufenenpass; glider 2 was returning S from Furkapass after long alpine XC legs. The right wing of glider 1 struck the horizontal stabiliser of glider 2 — both tore off and both gliders crashed. Closing rate was ~64 m/s (110 + 120 km/h), 1 km in 15 s. Investigators attributed the collision to the pilots not seeing each other; reduced concentration after long, high-altitude flights contributed.

1. Münster alpine camp; long XC day: An alpine soaring camp at Münster had a favourable forecast; glider 1 flew a valley loop while glider 2 headed toward a nearby pass, and the two met at about 3,500 m.
2. Long, high-altitude flights: Pilot 1 had been airborne 6 h 04 min, pilot 2 5 h 29 min — long enough for concentration to decay; airspace surveillance is critical and a head-on closure leaves no margin.
3. White on cloud; slim head-on; sun glare: Both gliders white with red stripes; head-on aspect minimal silhouette; sun at azimuth 264° elevation ~30° to the W — left of glider 1, right of glider 2 — possible glare contribution.
4. Convergence over the valley centre: A witness in a third glider ~800 m W with sun behind him saw glider 1 heading NW and glider 2 heading S meet over the centre of the Aegenetal valley.
5. Closing 64 m/s; neither sees in time: Glider speeds ~110 and 120 km/h; closing ~64 m/s — 1 km in 15 s. Pilot 1 never saw the other; pilot 2 saw it a fraction of a second before impact with no time to react.
6. Right wing of 1 hits stabiliser of 2: On contact, glider 1's right wing struck glider 2's horizontal stabiliser; the wing and the stabiliser both tore off; both gliders departed controlled flight.
7. Both bail out; both seriously hurt: Both pilots bailed out and were seriously injured on landing; both gliders were destroyed. One ELT was destroyed at impact and did not signal; the other worked.