L'ASK 21 ballonne sur une finale haute et retombe sur la piste
Au troisième vol solo d'un élève sur ASK 21, une finale non stabilisée a fini en poser dur ; l'élève a été grièvement blessé, le planeur légèrement endommagé. La finale sur la piste 34 était haute et rapide et, virée tard, à 120 m à gauche de l'axe. Après de fortes corrections, l'élève a piqué du nez, puis — sur l'ordre radio correct de tirer — a tiré trop fort. Il a ballonné à ~7 m, s'est affaissé à plat et a heurté le bord de piste. Le centrage était 10 mm derrière la limite arrière — deux masses de trim manquantes —, favorisant le ballonnement. Causes : finale non stabilisée, mauvaise appréciation de l'assiette, centrage arrière.
- Aerotow landing pattern: During the third solo flight after an aerotow in an ASK 21, the student entered the landing circuit for runway 34 with the CG 10 mm behind the aft limit.
- Aft CG beyond limit: The glider was flown with two trim weights missing, placing the centre of gravity 10 mm aft of the allowable rear limit, making pitch control more sensitive.
- High, offset final: The student flew a high base and final, turning into final too late and ending up about 120 m left of the runway 34 centreline.
- Aggressive course corrections: On final at about 120 km/h, the student first corrected slightly right, then made strong right and left corrections to regain the runway centreline, remaining high and under stress.
- Nose-down then over-pull: Shortly before the threshold the student pushed the nose down, increasing speed, then after the instructor’s radio call to 'pull' she pulled back too strongly on the stick.
- Balloon then sink: The glider ballooned to about 7 m above ground and then sank through in a nearly level attitude with half airbrakes extended and the nose slightly down.
- Crash - serious injury: The glider impacted near the right edge of the paved runway, causing serious injury to the student pilot and minor damage to the aircraft.