Le Rhönlerche percute un câble de treuil encore en l'air sur un circuit raccourci
Le pilote d'un Rhönlerche II a été tué et un passager grièvement blessé lorsque le planeur a percuté un câble de treuil encore en l'air lors d'une journée publique de vols ; il a été détruit. Deux planeurs avaient décollé coup sur coup au treuil à double tambour, le premier encore dans son circuit quand le second a décollé sur l'autre câble. Au lieu du circuit prescrit s'éloignant du treuil, le pilote a raccourci et coupé devant le treuil, le second câble descendant sous son parachute ; le câble a accroché l'aile droite, sciant la partie extérieure vers 35 m. Il a perdu le contrôle et le planeur est tombé presque à la verticale de ~30 m.
- Winch launch flights: During an airshow at Allmend Brunau, the Rhönlerche II HB-571 conducted a winch launch as the first of two closely spaced passenger flights using a double-drum winch.
- Second cable still airborne: After HB-571 released its first cable and while still in the circuit, the second glider was launched on the other winch cable, which was still being reeled in.
- Abbreviated landing circuit: Before the second cable was fully retrieved, the pilot began an abbreviated landing circuit that crossed the winch area instead of following the prescribed pattern.
- Right wing hits cable: While flying crosswise in front of the winch, the right wing struck the still-descending second cable, which sawed through the outer wing at about 35 m height.
- Loss of control and fall: The collision with the cable caused an immediate loss of control, and the glider entered an uncontrolled right-rolling descent from approximately 30 m, impacting nearly nose-first.
- Crash - fatal: The glider was destroyed in the vertical impact, the pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger sustained serious injuries.