Incidente de PIK-20D durante lanzamiento con torno en Dittingen resulta en colisión con árboles

El 15 de junio de 1980, un planeador PIK-20D estuvo involucrado en un accidente en el aeródromo de Dittingen, Suiza, durante un lanzamiento con torno. El piloto, que tenía experiencia limitada con este tipo de lanzamiento, despegó tras un corto recorrido en tierra. El planeador ascendió en un ángulo poco pronunciado antes de que el piloto aumentara abruptamente el ángulo de ataque, provocando una pérdida de sustentación y un giro a la derecha. El cable de remolque se soltó, y el planeador colisionó con árboles. El piloto sufrió heridas graves y el planeador fue destruido. El informe confirmó una velocidad insuficiente como causa, con factores contribuyentes que incluyen la experiencia limitada del piloto y del operador del torno.

1. Winch launch climb: During a winch launch from Dittingen, the glider lifted off after a 70–100 m ground roll and climbed shallowly to about 30 m AGL at only 75–80 km/h, below the handbook’s recommended winch speed.
2. Abrupt pitch increase: At about 30 m AGL the pilot abruptly raised the nose to a relatively steep attitude and extended the flaps to +4°, attempting to gain more speed despite already low airspeed.
3. Low winch speed: The winch driver, who had little experience, towed with insufficient engine power so that the glider never reached the recommended winch launch speed.
4. Limited winch experience: The pilot had only about 30 winch launches in total, including just three on the accident type, reducing his ability to recognize and abort a low-speed launch.
5. Winch not aborted: Despite the low airspeed before transitioning to a steep climb, the pilot did not abort the winch launch and instead increased the pitch, further loading the winch and causing an engine RPM drop.
6. Stall and roll-off: As the glider climbed to about 70–80 m AGL, the airspeed dropped below minimum, the aircraft stalled, and it rolled off over the right wing, with the tow cable releasing automatically or by pilot action.
7. Crash - serious injury: The pilot partially recovered from the upset but the glider struck trees during the recovery, seriously injuring the pilot and destroying the aircraft.