Incidente de lanzamiento del Mosquito B en el aeródromo de Gruyère resultando en daños severos

El 2 de agosto de 1985, un Glasflügel Mosquito B experimentó un incidente de lanzamiento en el aeródromo de Gruyère en Suiza. Durante el lanzamiento con cabrestante, el planeador entró en un ascenso pronunciado poco después del despegue. El operador del cabrestante soltó el cable, pero el piloto no pudo evitar un aterrizaje brusco. El piloto sufrió heridas graves y la aeronave fue destruida. La investigación concluyó que el accidente probablemente se debió a que el respaldo del asiento no estaba correctamente asegurado, lo que provocó que el piloto perdiera el control.

1. Winch launch takeoff: During a winch launch from runway 36 at Gruyères, the glider began its initial ground roll and liftoff under full power from the club-built winch.
2. Seat back shifts: Shortly after liftoff, the insufficiently locked seat back likely collapsed rearwards, causing the pilot to pitch backward in the cockpit and inadvertently pull on the control stick.
3. Strong acceleration: The winch provided a strong initial acceleration that was unfamiliar to the pilot at this particular airfield, contributing to his being destabilized during the launch.
4. First winch at field: Although experienced in winch launches elsewhere, this was the pilot’s first winch launch at Gruyères, where local launch characteristics and acceleration were new to him.
5. Excessive nose-up: About 10–15 seconds after takeoff the glider adopted an excessively steep nose-up attitude, then also rolled right, prompting the winch operator to release the cable.
6. Pilot regains attitude: After cable release the pilot managed to level the glider from its nose-down trajectory but was unable to sufficiently reduce the high rate of descent.
7. Crash - serious injury: The glider impacted the ground nearly horizontally with a high vertical speed, seriously injuring the pilot and destroying the aircraft.