Ventus b/16.6 Absturz beim Anflug auf Saanen mit Todesfolge
Am 6. August 1986 stürzte ein Schempp-Hirth Ventus b/16.6 beim Anflug auf Saanen, Schweiz, ab. Der Pilot, der das Segelflugzeug zum ersten Mal flog, meldete kurz vor dem Vorfall seine Absicht zur Landung. Zeugen beobachteten das Segelflugzeug in einem unkontrollierten Flugmuster, bevor es abstürzte, was zum Tod des Piloten und zur Zerstörung des Flugzeugs führte. Die offizielle Untersuchung identifizierte das Fliegen unterhalb der minimalen sicheren Geschwindigkeit als Unfallursache. Zu den beitragenden Faktoren gehörten unzureichende Ausbildung und mögliche gesundheitliche Probleme.
- Approach to Saanen: After about 3 hours 50 minutes of soaring following an aerotow departure, the pilot entered the waiting/approach area for landing at Saanen in the Ventus b/16.6.
- High drag configuration: In the approach/holding area the pilot fully extended both the flaps (Wölbklappen) and the dive brakes (Sturzflugbremsen), greatly increasing drag without an appropriate attitude or speed adjustment.
- Low recent training: The pilot had relatively low recent glider flight time, limited recent experience with flapped high-performance types, and this was his first flight on this demanding Ventus variant.
- Possible medical impairment: The pilot had significant coronary artery disease and cardiac changes, and after a long flight at altitude may have been suffering psycho-physical performance reduction or even a sudden incapacitating event.
- Inadequate speed control: With all drag devices deployed, the pilot did not lower the nose sufficiently to maintain at least minimum flying speed, allowing the glider’s speed to decay.
- Stall and wing drop: Witnesses observed the glider pitching up repeatedly, rocking its wings, then rolling off over the right wing into an over‑stalled, uncontrolled descent from about 100 m above ground near the church at Saanen.
- Crash - fatal: The glider impacted the MOB railway area at Saanen, destroying the aircraft, fatally injuring the pilot, and damaging overhead lines and a railcar.