Accidente del DG-100 en Geschinen tras giro pronunciado causa fatalidad

El 16 de julio de 1988, un DG Flugzeugbau DG-100 ELAN se estrelló cerca de Geschinen, Suiza. Se observó que el planeador realizaba un giro pronunciado a la derecha antes de descender rápidamente e impactar en una pendiente empinada cerca de barreras contra avalanchas. El piloto sufrió heridas mortales y la aeronave quedó destruida. La investigación concluyó que el accidente probablemente se debió a que la aeronave superó su velocidad mínima de pérdida de sustentación a baja altitud. No se reportaron otras lesiones o daños.

1. Local soaring flight: After an aerotow launch from Münster and release near the Galmihornhütte, the pilot conducted a local soaring flight in the Galmihornhütte–Münster–Geschinen area.
2. Steep right turn: While flying up-valley toward the Furka near Geschinergalen, the glider entered a very steep right-hand turn at low height above the steep slope.
3. Low airspeed margin: The steep turn was flown at a low altitude over rising terrain, leaving little margin above the minimum safe flying speed and increasing stall risk.
4. Limited recency on type: The pilot had relatively low and infrequent experience on the DG-100 ELAN over several years, which may have reduced his familiarity with its handling near stall.
5. Inadequate stall avoidance: During or immediately after the steep right turn, the pilot did not maintain sufficient airspeed or bank control to prevent the aircraft from stalling.
6. Nose drop and dive: Following the steep turn, the glider abruptly pitched forward into a near-vertical dive toward the slope, with only about one second of descent before impact.
7. Crash - fatal: The glider impacted a steep slope near avalanche barriers at Geschinergalen and was destroyed, fatally injuring the pilot.