Incidente de LS 4 en Sädelhorn: el piloto pierde el conocimiento y se estrella en terreno rocoso
El 20 de julio de 1992, un Rolladen-Schneider LS 4 despegó del aeródromo de Münster y encontró un grave incidente cerca de Sädelhorn, Suiza. Durante el vuelo, el piloto perdió el conocimiento mientras giraba en una corriente ascendente cerca de Blinnenhorn. El planeador descontrolado descendió y colisionó con un terreno rocoso a aproximadamente 2600 metros de altitud. El piloto recuperó el conocimiento al impactar pero no pudo controlar la aeronave, resultando en lesiones graves. El planeador sufrió daños significativos, y el piloto fue rescatado por un equipo de helicóptero.
- Aerotow to soaring area: The LS4 launched by aerotow from Münster at 14:49 and released near the Sidelhorn at about 2400 m before proceeding to soar in the surrounding mountains.
- Thermaling near Blinnenhorn: The pilot climbed in lift near the Blinnenhorn to about 3300 m, then later returned to the same area and was circling in 1 m/s lift at about 2700 m with the glider trimmed for 80–90 km/h.
- Sudden loss of consciousness: While circling in the updraft near Blinnenhorn, the pilot suddenly experienced a loss of consciousness (syncope) without prior warning signs.
- Uncontrolled descent toward terrain: With no pilot control, the glider drifted toward the Sädelhorn area and descended toward a rocky high plateau (Ringjini) at about 2600 m, below the summit.
- Ground contact on scree slope: Still uncontrolled, the glider approached from the west in a flight path resembling a normal approach and made tangential contact with the sloping scree field, the pilot regaining consciousness at the first impact.
- Crash - serious injury: The glider came to rest at low speed against a large rock with substantial airframe damage, and the pilot sustained serious injuries before being rescued by helicopter.