Incident LS 4 au Sädelhorn : le pilote perd connaissance et s'écrase sur un terrain rocheux

Le 20 juillet 1992, un Rolladen-Schneider LS 4 a décollé de l'aérodrome de Münster et a rencontré un grave incident près du Sädelhorn, en Suisse. Pendant le vol, le pilote a perdu connaissance en tournant dans une ascendance près du Blinnenhorn. Le planeur incontrôlé a descendu et a percuté un terrain rocheux à environ 2600 mètres d'altitude. Le pilote a repris connaissance lors de l'impact mais n'a pas pu contrôler l'appareil, ce qui a entraîné des blessures graves. Le planeur a subi des dommages importants, et le pilote a été secouru par une équipe d'hélicoptère.

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 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.
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.