Ka 8 collision with ground personnel during landing at Schänis airfield
On April 26, 1975, an Alexander Schleicher K 8 B collided with a flight student during landing at Schänis Airfield in Switzerland. The student was struck by the left wing of the glider, resulting in serious injuries. The pilot, returning from a short training flight, did not notice the student on the runway in time to avoid the collision. The glider sustained minor damage, with a dent on the left wing. Weather conditions were clear with good visibility, and no technical issues were found with the aircraft.
- Landing approach: The Ka 8 HB-679, returning from a short training flight, was on final approach to land on grass runway 35 parallel to the hard-surface runway.
- Parallel runway operations: Gliding operations were being conducted with takeoffs on the hard-surface runway and landings on the adjacent grass runway, requiring heightened vigilance due to the small separation between them.
- Low pilot experience: The glider pilot had relatively low total and recent flight experience, including limited hours on type.
- Student enters landing area: A glider student, moving a tow rope from the hard-surface runway, walked onto the grass landing runway without checking for approaching aircraft.
- Pilot focuses on touchdown: Although the pilot saw the student, she assumed he would remain clear of the danger area and concentrated primarily on executing the landing along the runway axis.
- Student not warned: Club members shouted warnings to the student, but he did not hear them due to the noise of the towplane engine and continued into the path of the landing glider.
- Crash - serious injury: Shortly after touchdown, the left wingtip of HB-679 struck the student's head, causing him serious injury and denting the wing leading edge, while the pilot maintained control after a brief yaw deviation.