Accidente del SZD-48-3 en Ludesch tras largo vuelo en región alpina

El 22 de junio de 1986, un planeador SZD-48-3 se estrelló cerca de Ludesch, Austria, después de un vuelo de aproximadamente ocho horas. La aeronave entró en un giro a la izquierda a baja altitud y chocó contra una pendiente empinada de 45 grados. El piloto, de nacionalidad suiza, resultó fatalmente herido y el planeador fue destruido. El informe oficial identificó el vuelo por debajo de la velocidad mínima segura como la causa. La fatiga del piloto por la larga duración del vuelo y el estrés por un inminente aterrizaje en campo fueron factores contribuyentes.

1. Aerotow cross-country: After an aerotow departure from Hohenems, the pilot conducted an approximately eight-hour alpine cross-country flight with multiple turnpoints.
2. Low altitude over ridge: In the final phase, the glider was flying only about 15 m above a wooded ridge and descending steadily after losing usable lift near the Arlberg area.
3. Pilot fatigue and stress: The pilot was likely fatigued from more than eight hours of flight in hot summer conditions and under stress from the now-unavoidable outlanding, reducing performance.
4. Speed below stall: While flying slowly just above the treetops over the wooded saddle, the glider’s airspeed dropped below the minimum safe speed, leading to a stall.
5. Low-altitude spin: The glider abruptly pitched down and entered a left-wing spin from which recovery was impossible given the very low height above the slope.
6. Crash - fatal: Still in a steep attitude, the glider impacted a 45-degree forested slope almost vertically, was destroyed, and the pilot was fatally injured.