El ASW 19 entra en barrena contra la pared tras hundirse a sotavento
Un ASW 19 B en vuelo de ladera en el Scex Rouge chocó contra la pared ~50 m bajo la arista, destruido; el piloto murió. Con viento oeste de 15 a 20 kt, el barlovento sustentaba, pero la vertiente este, a sotavento, descendía igual. Testigos lo vieron hundirse más en la Combe du Dar, donde reinaban fuertes descendencias y pasaban los cables del teleférico. Atrapado por las descendencias, el piloto viró bruscamente a la izquierda para esquivar los cables; el planeador entró en giro cerrado — más probablemente en barrena — y golpeó la pared tras un giro y medio. Causa: táctica de vuelo inapropiada en una comba expuesta a fuertes descendencias.
- Aerotow ridge flight: The pilot aerotowed from Bex around 1448 for a local training flight and later flew ridge-soaring along the Scex Rouge in the Diablerets area.
- Leeward downdraft area: The pilot repeatedly flew through the east slope and Dar combe on the leeward side of Scex Rouge, an area known to generate strong downdrafts and turbulence in westerly winds.
- Low, deep in combe: At about 1600 the glider was observed flying lower and deeper into the Dar combe on the east side of Scex Rouge, exposing it to strong sink close to terrain and cable car wires.
- Abrupt left turn: In attempting to turn left away from the east slope and avoid the cable car cables, the pilot initiated a very tight left turn at low height near the ridge.
- Develops steep turn/spin: The glider entered a very steep left bank and likely an incipient or fully developed spin, completing about one and a half turns while descending toward the slope.
- Crash - fatal: After roughly one and a half turns the glider struck the east rock face of Scex Rouge about 50 m below the ridge, destroying the aircraft and killing the pilot instantly.