Le LS 4 descend incontrôlé après l'évanouissement du pilote

Le pilote d'un LS 4 a été grièvement blessé après une perte de connaissance en spiralant près du Sädelhorn ; le planeur est descendu sur une pente rocheuse, fortement endommagé. En ascendance faible vers 2700 m MSL, la syncope est survenue sans prévenir. Sans pilote, il a dérivé vers un pierrier sous le sommet et, par chance, s'est présenté du côté ouest quasi horizontal en assiette presque normale et s'est posé lentement contre un rocher. Le pilote n'a repris connaissance qu'au choc. La cause probable était une syncope ; le pilote n'avait jamais eu de malaise et avait pris toutes les précautions. Sa survie tient à un hasard extraordinaire.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Sudden loss of consciousness: While circling in the updraft near Blinnenhorn, the pilot suddenly experienced a loss of consciousness (syncope) without prior warning signs.
4. 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.
5. Ground contact on scree slope: Still uncontrolled, the glider approached from the west resembling a normal approach and made tangential contact with the sloping scree field, where the pilot regained consciousness.
6. 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.