ASW 19B incident during landing at Buochs airfield leads to fatality
On June 30, 1984, an ASW 19B glider experienced a landing incident at Buochs airfield in Switzerland. The pilot, who had significant overall flight experience but limited time on this model, encountered difficulties during the landing approach. The glider approached the runway too high and fast, leading to a hard landing. Despite the absence of pre-existing technical faults, the pilot was fatally injured. The report suggests that a medical condition may have contributed to the incident.
- Local soaring flight: After an aerotow departure from Buochs, the pilot released near the Bürgenstock ridge, briefly climbed in thermals, then lost usable lift after moving to the Stanserhorn area and back.
- Low height near field: On returning toward the airfield from the Gupf area, the pilot no longer had sufficient altitude to rejoin thermals and committed to a landing.
- Medical vulnerability: The pilot was being treated for diabetes mellitus with an oral antidiabetic (Daonil), a medication known to be capable of causing hypoglycaemic episodes with possible consciousness disturbance under stress.
- Unstabilized fast approach: During the landing pattern the glider turned onto final for runway 07R too high and too fast, with the pilot initially failing to extend the landing gear.
- Delayed gear extension: Only after repeated radio calls from the ground pointing out the retracted gear did the pilot extend the undercarriage.
- Control confusion: The pilot apparently confused the airbrake and undercarriage levers, resulting in an unstable, high-speed final approach with the glider flying unsteadily toward the hard-surface runway at about a 20° angle.
- Crash - fatal: The glider impacted the hard-surface runway multiple times at high speed and came to rest after about 300 m, causing severe injuries from which the pilot later died and substantial damage to the aircraft.