Ka 4 Rhönlerche II incident during training landing at Amlikon airfield
On April 7, 1972, a student pilot flying an Alexander Schleicher Ka 4 Rhönlerche II experienced difficulties during a training flight at Amlikon airfield in Switzerland. During the landing approach, the pilot executed a right sideslip but struggled to coordinate the controls while leveling out. The aircraft veered off course and landed on a nearby path, where a wingtip struck a bush. The glider sustained significant damage, but the pilot was uninjured. The investigation attributed the incident to improper rudder use during the landing maneuver.
- Winch launch training: During a training flight at Amlikon, the student pilot completed a winch launch and began circuit flying for his 14th solo.
- Low pilot experience: The student pilot had a total of 7 hours 47 minutes on type and was known to have occasional difficulty coordinating controls when recovering from a sideslip.
- Landing approach setup: From about 200 m AGL the pilot flew a normal landing pattern, fully extended the airbrakes, and initiated a right sideslip on final.
- Rudder misused in recovery: While recovering from the right sideslip just above the ground, the pilot applied full right rudder instead of coordinating the controls correctly.
- Glider yaws off course: As the aircraft was brought out of the sideslip, it yawed and turned to the right, ending up flying about 45 degrees across the intended landing direction over the river Thur at roughly 80 km/h.
- Decision to land on path: Seeing the glider misaligned and over the river, the pilot elected to land on the track along the right riverbank embankment.
- Outlanding - damage: During the rollout on the embankment track the left wing struck a bush, causing the glider to slew left and sustain serious damage while the pilot remained uninjured.