Crash de l'ASW 20L à l'aérodrome d'Ambri lors d'un lancement au treuil, pilote mortellement blessé

Le 23 avril 1993, un Alexander Schleicher ASW 20L s'est écrasé sur l'aérodrome militaire d'Ambri en Suisse lors d'un lancement au treuil. Peu après le décollage, le planeur a entamé un virage à gauche et a continué sans intervention de contrôle jusqu'à descendre presque verticalement. Le pilote, qui avait une expérience significative en vol à voile mais une expérience limitée du lancement au treuil, a été mortellement blessé. L'enquête a suggéré qu'un problème médical pourrait avoir contribué à la perte de contrôle. Le planeur a été détruit à l'impact.

1. Winch launch climb: During a winch launch from Ambri military airfield, the ASW 20L transitioned from ground roll into the initial climb normally.
2. Onset of medical event: Shortly after liftoff, the pilot likely suffered an incapacitating cardiac event during the winch launch climb, impairing his ability to control the glider.
3. Pre-existing heart disease: The pilot had severe coronary artery disease with evidence of a prior myocardial infarction and prior hospitalisation for coronary problems, creating a high risk of sudden incapacitation.
4. No control inputs: As the glider climbed in a left turn to about 50 m AGL, no pilot control reactions were observed despite the increasing deviation from the normal winch launch trajectory.
5. Loss of control descent: After the winch driver reduced power, the glider continued its left turn without apparent control and entered an almost vertical, uncontrolled descent toward the ground.
6. Crash - fatal: The glider impacted the grass area beside the paved runway nearly vertically, was destroyed, and the pilot, likely already incapacitated or dead before impact, sustained fatal injuries.