Ka 6 accident during final approach at Montricher airfield

On August 11, 1972, a Ka 6 CR glider was involved in an accident at Montricher Airfield in Switzerland. The pilot, conducting a training flight, encountered a descending air current during the final approach after yielding to a tow plane. This resulted in insufficient altitude to clear an obstacle, leading to a collision with a bush. The glider was destroyed upon impact, but the pilot remained uninjured. The investigation confirmed that the accident was caused by insufficient altitude during the approach.

1. Training flight approach: During a local training flight in the Ka 6 CR, the pilot began the approach phase to land at Montricher after about 16 minutes of flight.
2. Yielding to towplane: As he was about to turn onto final, the pilot was impeded by a towplane preparing to land and ceded priority, delaying and altering his planned final turn.
3. Low circuit height: After rejoining the circuit on downwind, the glider passed abeam the runway threshold at an estimated height of only about 40 meters, leaving little altitude margin.
4. Did not shorten circuit: The pilot continued a normal-length circuit instead of significantly shortening the pattern to compensate for the reduced height.
5. Sink in final turn: While turning onto final, the glider encountered descending air and no longer had sufficient height to clear a hedge at the airfield boundary.
6. Crash - no injury: At 11:26 local time the glider struck a bush with the right wing at low speed and crashed to the ground, destroying the aircraft but leaving the pilot uninjured.