Colisión fatal del Astir CS con montaña cerca de Setzehorn, Suiza
El 22 de julio de 1981, un planeador Grob Astir CS pilotado por un ciudadano suizo partió de Münster para un vuelo de entrenamiento. El piloto tenía la intención de volar durante 2,5 a 3 horas, pero no regresó antes de las 3 PM, lo que provocó una operación de búsqueda. Los restos fueron descubiertos más tarde esa tarde en una ladera nevada al sur de Setzehorn a una altitud de más de 2900 metros. El piloto fue encontrado fallecido y el planeador estaba destruido. La colisión con la montaña se atribuyó a una fase de vuelo incontrolada, posiblemente debido a problemas de pilotaje o médicos, pero no a problemas técnicos.
- Aerotow to training area: The pilot aerotowed from Münster at 11:44 and released near Tällernalp at about 2200 m for a planned 2.5–3 hour alpine training flight between the Grimsel Pass and Aletsch Glacier.
- Limited alpine experience: The pilot had limited high-mountain soaring experience and this was her first high-alpine flight on the Astir CS type.
- Inadequate cold protection: The pilot was only lightly dressed for an alpine flight, which together with flight at around 3000 m could have adversely affected her physical and mental condition.
- Thermaling near Setzehorn: Around 13:45 the glider was last seen thermaling near the Galmihornhütte, and conditions near Setzehorn included cumulus with bases around 3100–3200 m.
- Onset of uncontrolled flight: Sometime between about 14:00 and 14:30 the glider entered an uncontrolled flight state for undetermined piloting and/or medical reasons, with no evidence of technical failure.
- Steep high-speed descent: From the uncontrolled state the glider descended steeply with high speed toward the terrain, as inferred from the wreckage pattern and impact damage.
- Crash - fatal: The glider collided with the steep snowy east slope about 400 m south of Setzehorn at roughly 2920–2940 m, was destroyed, and the pilot was fatally injured.