Incident Ka 4 à Fricktal Schupfart : le pilote perd le contrôle lors de l'approche
Le 8 septembre 1973, une session de formation au vol sur l'aérodrome de Fricktal Schupfart s'est terminée par un incident impliquant un Alexander Schleicher Ka 4 Rhönlerche II. Lors d'un vol en solo, le pilote en formation a perdu le contrôle de l'appareil lors de l'approche finale. Le planeur est entré dans un piqué prononcé et a ensuite heurté deux arbres avant de s'écraser à environ 300 mètres à l'est de la piste. Le pilote a subi des blessures graves et l'appareil a été détruit. L'enquête a suggéré une possible perturbation de la conscience comme cause de la perte de contrôle.
- 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.