Crash d'un Ka 6 BR près de Grüt bei Gossau entraîne des blessures graves
Le 10 août 1980, un planeur Ka 6 BR piloté par un ressortissant suisse a décollé de l'aérodrome de Speck-Fehraltorf avec l'intention de réaliser un vol de cinq heures. Le pilote a largué à 1000 mètres d'altitude et a volé vers le sud-est avant de faire demi-tour. Près de Grüt bei Gossau, le planeur a décroché à une altitude inférieure à 100 mètres et s'est écrasé verticalement. Le pilote a subi des blessures graves et l'appareil a été détruit. L'enquête a confirmé que l'accident a été causé par le dépassement de la vitesse de décrochage minimale et une décision retardée d'atterrir.
- Aerotow cross-country: The pilot aerotowed from Speck-Fehraltorf and released at about 1000 m, then flew southeast in thermals before turning back toward the departure airfield.
- Prolonged height loss: On the return leg from the Bachtel area toward Speck-Fehraltorf, the glider was continuously losing altitude and eventually descended to a few hundred meters above ground.
- Delayed outlanding decision: Despite deteriorating lift and low altitude, the pilot waited too long to decide to abandon the task and commit to an off-field landing.
- Low circling near ground: Near Grüt, the pilot continued circling in weak lift at less than 100 m above ground, close to a high-voltage power line over 40 m high.
- Pilot under pressure: The pilot was under increasing pressure from the marginal height and may have been further distracted or irritated by the nearby high-voltage line, reducing attention to airspeed control.
- Stall and wing drop: After a short straight segment following the low-altitude circling, the glider’s speed fell below minimum, it entered an over‑stalled condition and abruptly rolled off over the left wing.
- Crash - serious injury: The glider descended in a steep, near-vertical attitude onto uneven grass terrain and was destroyed, with the pilot sustaining serious injuries.