DG 300 overshoots a downwind outlanding and clips obstacles
A DG 300 Elan pilot was slightly injured and the glider substantially damaged in a downwind outlanding near Andermatt. After abandoning a 500 km task, the pilot chose a designated field approachable only from the south-west — landing downwind in the north-easterly wind. Too high on the tailwind final despite full airbrakes and a sideslip, and facing obstacles at the field end, he broke off the slip and pulled up for the meadow beyond; the right wing struck a stack of reinforcing mesh and an excavator, yawing the glider 90°. A field 500 m north could have been taken into wind. Cause: a botched approach, too little account taken of the wind.
- Cross-country cruise: The pilot departed Zweisimmen by aerotow for a 500 km cross-country flight and was returning after abandoning the task due to poor thermals.
- Forced outlanding need: Near Andermatt, deteriorated thermal conditions forced the pilot to plan an outlanding instead of continuing the flight.
- Tailwind landing field: The pilot selected a designated outlanding field along the Gotthard road that, under the prevailing NE wind, could only be approached with a tailwind, not fully weighed at the time.
- High tailwind approach: After flying a circuit, the pilot conducted the final approach to the SW with a tailwind, using full airbrakes and a sideslip in an attempt to lose height.
- Aborted glide over obstacles: Unable to reduce altitude enough to clear obstacles at the end of the field, the pilot ended the sideslip, retracted the airbrakes, and pulled up to try to land in a meadow beyond them.
- Wing strikes obstacles: During this maneuver the right wing struck a stack of reinforcing mesh and an excavator, causing the glider to yaw about 90 degrees and come to rest in the adjacent meadow.
- Crash - minor injury: The glider stopped in the meadow with substantial damage, and the pilot sustained minor injuries.