DG-200 incident during winch launch at Fricktal Schupfart airfield
On August 22, 1982, a DG Flugzeugbau DG-200/17 experienced a winch launch incident at Fricktal Schupfart airfield in Switzerland. During the launch, the glider stalled and crashed from a height of approximately 20-30 meters, resulting in the aircraft being destroyed. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The investigation found that the pilot transitioned into the climb without sufficient speed reserve, and a possible lack of optimal winch acceleration may have contributed to the accident.
- Winch launch takeoff: During a winch launch from runway 08, the glider began its ground roll and initial liftoff with the pilot immediately sensing that acceleration was unusually slow.
- Suboptimal configuration: For the winch launch the glider was not in the recommended configuration, with flaps at 0° instead of +4° and only slightly nose-heavy trim, reducing longitudinal stability and climb margin.
- Possible weak acceleration: The winch, operated by a relatively inexperienced winch driver, may not have provided optimal acceleration, leading to a prolonged low-height, low-speed segment after liftoff.
- Climb initiated low speed: After a long, shallow flight just above the ground and only a slight increase in speed, the pilot began to raise the nose into climb without an adequate speed reserve.
- Pitch and roll corrections: At about 2–3 m AGL the pilot briefly pushed to gain speed, then slowly pulled back to climb and applied right aileron when the glider started to roll left.
- Stall and wing drop: Approximately 20–30 m above ground, the glider stalled and departed controlled flight, dropping almost vertically over the right wing despite the pilot’s correction.
- Crash - serious injury: The right wing struck the ground first, followed by the nose impact, destroying the glider and seriously injuring the pilot, with the wreckage coming to rest about 190 m from the start point.