Accidente de un Centrair Pegase en la ladera noroeste del Piz Malat tras señal de socorro

El 13 de julio de 1986, un planeador Centrair Pegase se estrelló en la ladera noroeste del Piz Malat, Suiza. El piloto partió del aeródromo de Samedan y se captó una señal de socorro aproximadamente cuatro horas después. Los equipos de rescate localizaron la aeronave destruida y al piloto mortalmente herido a unos 6 kilómetros del aeródromo. El accidente se atribuyó a una distancia insuficiente respecto a la pendiente, con posibles factores contribuyentes como una mala evaluación de la distancia al suelo y condiciones de viento adversas. El piloto, de nacionalidad alemana, resultó fatalmente herido y el planeador quedó destruido.

1. Local soaring flight: The pilot winch-launched from Samedan for a local soaring flight and proceeded to fly in the Samedan–Muottas Muragl–Val Chamuera area.
2. Limited alpine experience: The pilot had relatively little alpine soaring experience in the Samedan area despite adequate overall gliding hours.
3. Challenging local winds: In the accident area there were interrupted thermals, a tailwind component, and strong, variable local NW winds and turbulence along the Piz Malat ridge.
4. Low ridge clearance: While flying along the northwest slope of Piz Malat below the crest, the glider was flown with insufficient distance from the steep terrain.
5. Possible distance misjudgment: The pilot may have misjudged the distance to the slope, potentially influenced by the sun position and the mountain flank being in backlight.
6. Turbulence/ sink near slope: In the turbulent, locally weak-thermal conditions near the slope, the glider likely experienced an uncommanded height loss or adverse air mass change while close to terrain.
7. Crash - fatal: The glider, still in normal flight attitude and at flying speed, collided at a shallow angle with the steep northwest flank of Piz Malat and was destroyed, fatally injuring the pilot.