Ka 4 incident at Fricktal Schupfart: pilot loses control during approach
On September 8, 1973, a flight training session at Fricktal Schupfart Airfield ended in an incident involving an Alexander Schleicher Ka 4 Rhönlerche II. During a solo flight, the pilot, who was undergoing training, lost control of the aircraft during the final approach. The glider entered a steep dive and subsequently collided with two trees before crashing approximately 300 meters east of the runway. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. The investigation suggested a possible consciousness disturbance as the cause of the loss of control.
- Solo training approach: During the second solo training flight, the student pilot flew a normal pattern and turned onto final approach after completing the assigned circling exercises.
- Onset of dive: At about 90 m above ground on final approach, the glider unexpectedly pitched into a steep dive.
- Pilot consciousness issue: Investigators concluded the unusual maneuver sequence was likely due to an unrecognized disturbance of the pilot’s consciousness, leading to loss of effective control.
- Uncontrolled inverted flight: From the steep dive the glider rolled into inverted flight, then continued into an inverted climbing attitude before rolling off to the right.
- Collision with trees: While descending out of the uncontrolled attitude, the glider struck two trees approximately 300 meters east of runway 26.
- Crash - serious injury: Following the tree strikes, the glider impacted the ground and was destroyed, and the pilot sustained serious injuries.