Incidente de aterrizaje en campo del SZD-24C cerca de Sedrun con lesión grave del piloto
El 7 de junio de 1975, un SZD-24C realizó un aterrizaje en campo cerca de Sedrun, Suiza. El piloto, que estaba en un vuelo de 500 km, encontró dificultades durante la aproximación de aterrizaje. A pesar de identificar un terreno adecuado para aterrizar, el planeador se estrelló contra una pendiente, resultando en graves lesiones para el piloto y la destrucción de la aeronave. La investigación concluyó que el incidente se debió a un patrón de aterrizaje inadecuado y a una altitud insuficiente antes de la aproximación final.
- Cross-country cruise: During a 500 km cross-country flight after aerotow departure from Bex, the pilot continued along the route past Oberalppass toward Sedrun while losing height.
- Low arrival height: The glider crossed Oberalppass only about 100 m above ground and reached the Sedrun area at roughly 400–500 m above ground, leaving limited height margin for circuit planning.
- Decision to outland: After failing to find usable lift near Sedrun, the pilot decided to perform an outlanding on a plateau south of the village and informed his colleague by radio.
- Inadequate circuit planning: With limited height available, the pilot flew low in the area and then positioned for landing on the plateau in a way later assessed as an unpurposeful landing pattern.
- High-speed final approach: While turning toward final for the plateau above a steep slope, the pilot, reporting turbulence and sink, pushed the glider to an increased approach speed of about 100 km/h.
- Too low over slope: Realizing he was too low on short final over the steep slope below the plateau, the pilot pulled up at the last moment but the glider still impacted the terrain about 29 m below the crest.
- Crash - serious injury: The glider struck the slope hard, slid a few meters uphill, then down the hillside and was destroyed, while the pilot sustained serious injuries.