H 301 sinks into a ridge slope in a lee downdraft after crossing too low
The pilot of a Glasflügel H 301 was fatally injured when the glider was forced into the Schilthorn's south slope by a lee downdraft; aircraft destroyed. On one of his first alpine flights on type, the pilot had flown from Thun. A cold northerly brought strong ridge wind (gusts ~65 km/h) and heavy sink on the lee, south side. Crossing the south ridge low and close to terrain, the glider could not hold height in the lee sink and sank into the slope; a left pull-away put the wingtip into a rock, tearing off the wings. The cause was unsuitable mountain tactics: too little terrain clearance, a misjudged lee wind, and modest alpine experience.
- Alpine ridge soaring: After releasing near Thun at about 1600 m MSL, the pilot soared toward the Bernese Oberland and on to the Schilthorn on one of his first high-alpine flights on type.
- Strong north wind, lee sink: A cold northerly incursion drove ridge winds of 25–40 kt, gusting to ~65 km/h, setting up turbulence and heavy sink on the lee, south side of the ridges.
- Low crossing on the lee side: Arriving from the north at very low height, the glider just cleared the cableway and crossed the south ridge close to the terrain into the lee.
- Sinks into the south slope: In the lee downdraft the glider could not hold height and sank toward the steep south slope, about 100 m below the summit.
- Pull-away to the left: The pilot tried to pull the glider away from the slope to the left.
- Wingtip strikes rock: The left wingtip struck a rock outcrop and the wings were torn from the fuselage.
- Crash - fatal: The glider crashed at about 2850 m; the pilot was thrown out and fatally injured, and the glider was destroyed.