Ka 8 B collision with trees during training flight at Veysonnaz
On July 25, 1992, a solo training flight with an Alexander Schleicher K 8 B took place at Veysonnaz, Switzerland. The student pilot, after a successful dual-control session earlier, attempted a ridge soaring flight. While maneuvering to avoid paragliders, the glider encountered a strong gust, causing it to become uncontrollable and collide with trees. The pilot was unharmed, but the glider sustained significant damage. The official report confirmed the accident was due to insufficient speed during a turn.
- Ridge soaring flight: After an earlier dual instructional ridge-soaring flight, the student pilot launched by aerotow from Sion for a solo ridge-soaring gain-of-height flight in the Ka-8b.
- Avoiding paragliders: While soaring near Veysonnaz, the pilot observed several paragliders and moved away from their area toward the forested slope where the lift was weaker.
- Low airspeed near slope: During straight flight on about the fifth pass parallel to the slope, the glider was already flying at too low an airspeed, reducing control margin close to terrain.
- Gust upsets glider: A strong gust suddenly lifted the right wing during straight flight along the slope, abruptly upsetting the glider's attitude.
- Ineffective control inputs: The pilot applied full right aileron, full forward stick, and full right rudder but the glider continued to sink and remained difficult to control.
- Low, slow turn into slope: The pilot then reversed to left stick and turned toward the slope to execute a 180° turn, during which the airspeed decreased further before he attempted to pitch up to clear the treetops.
- Crash - no injury: The very slow glider struck the tops of the trees, was abruptly stopped and then tipped forward to hang vertically between trees, heavily damaging the aircraft while the pilot remained uninjured.