Colisión de un DG 500 Elan-Trainer con un hangar durante un vuelo de entrenamiento en el aeródromo de Montricher
El 20 de agosto de 1997, un DG Flugzeugbau DG-500 Elan Trainer colisionó con un hangar durante un vuelo de entrenamiento en el aeródromo de Montricher, Suiza. El incidente ocurrió poco después del despegue cuando el cable de remolque se soltó inadvertidamente a baja altitud. La aeronave viró a la derecha y se estrelló contra un hangar, resultando en la muerte del piloto estudiante y lesiones graves para el instructor. El planeador sufrió daños considerables, y el hangar, junto con otro planeador y un ala delta almacenados en su interior, resultaron dañados. Las condiciones meteorológicas no fueron un factor en el accidente.
- Aerotow takeoff: The DG-500 began a normal aerotow departure from runway 03 with instructor in the rear seat and student in the front seat.
- Premature cable release: At about 30 m above ground, the tow cable was unintentionally released by the student, most likely due to confusing the release handle with the rudder pedal adjustment control.
- Insufficient altitude: The glider was at only around 30 m AGL, well below the minimum safe height needed to turn back or maneuver with margin after an unexpected tow release.
- Instructor takes control: Immediately after the release, the instructor announced he was taking control (“my control” / “ich flüge”) intending to continue straight ahead toward a suitable landing area.
- Student initiates right turn: Within a few seconds of the release, the glider entered a steep, nose‑up right turn toward the wooded area and hangars, attributed to an abrupt control input by the student despite the instructor’s takeover.
- Low, slow steep turn: The glider climbed slightly in the steep right turn over the trees, lost speed, and reached a nose‑up, highly banked attitude from which it could not be recovered at the remaining low height.
- Crash - fatal: After completing a little more than half a turn back toward the airfield, the glider struck a hangar, fatally injuring the unrestrained student, seriously injuring the instructor, and heavily damaging the aircraft and the building.