Colisión del Mini Nimbus C con el terreno cerca de Blankenburg resultando en fatalidad
El 26 de julio de 1992, un planeador Schempp-Hirth Mini Nimbus C despegó de Zweisimmen, Suiza, para un vuelo local. El planeador, pilotado por un aviador experimentado, encontró dificultades y se estrelló contra una ladera boscosa sobre Blankenburg, Alemania. El ala derecha golpeó árboles antes de que la aeronave impactara en un terreno rocoso, resultando en la muerte del piloto. La investigación no determinó una causa específica para la colisión con el terreno, pero señaló la presencia de turbulencias en el área.
- Aerotow local soaring: The Mini Nimbus C launched by aerotow from Zweisimmen at 15:45 for a local soaring flight and released at about 2000 m MSL on slopes east of the airfield.
- Weak, turbulent thermals: By late afternoon the thermals were weakening and the accident area was characterized by pronounced local turbulence and abrupt vertical air movements.
- Low, close-in ridge flying: While flying down-valley along a steep, forested slope near the Spillgerten massif, the glider was in close proximity to the terrain, likely seeking remaining weak lift in the hillside 'kettle' area.
- Right wing hits trees: The glider, still in essentially normal attitude, made an initial relatively gentle contact with the tops of trees on the steep Mulebergwald slope with its right wing, indicating insufficient clearance from the terrain.
- Violent impact with tree: After being strongly decelerated and yawed right, the glider’s left wing struck the trunk of a large fir about 10 m above the ground, coming to an abrupt stop and sliding several metres down the trunk.
- Crash - fatal: The glider then impacted the rocky, debris-strewn slope nearly parallel to the terrain, destroying the forward fuselage and fatally injuring the pilot.