Accidente del DFS Weihe durante maniobras a baja altitud cerca de Malonskopf, Vorarlberg
El 2 de julio de 1971, un DFS Weihe se estrelló cerca de Malonskopf, Vorarlberg, Austria. El piloto había despegado del aeródromo de Hohenems-Dornbirn para un vuelo de entrenamiento y se soltó del remolque a aproximadamente 1200 metros. Después de volar en la zona durante unas dos horas, el planeador entró en pérdida mientras maniobraba a baja altitud cerca de una cresta. El piloto sufrió heridas leves y la aeronave fue destruida. La investigación confirmó que el accidente fue resultado de volar por debajo de la velocidad mínima en condiciones turbulentas.
- Aerotow training flight: The pilot launched by aerotow from Hohenems-Dornbirn for a training flight and released near the Hohen Kugel at about 1200 m MSL.
- Prolonged ridge soaring: For about two hours the pilot soared in the Hohe Kugel and Hoher Freschen area before crossing the valley between Viktorsberg and Fraxern in ridge proximity and at relatively low altitude.
- Low height near slope: While circling close to the slope in the Malonskopf area, the glider was at low height above the wooded terrain, leaving little margin for recovery.
- Turbulent conditions: In the ridge area there was local moderate wind and thermal turbulence up to about 1500 m, which may have promoted entry into a critical flight condition.
- Speed below minimum: While circling slowly near the slope, the pilot allowed the airspeed to drop below the minimum safe speed for the conditions.
- Stall and nose drop: The glider stalled and pitched nose-down, and due to the low height the pilot was unable to complete a recovery before ground impact.
- Crash - minor injury: The glider crashed into the forested slope of Malonskopf, destroying the aircraft and causing minor injuries to the pilot and slight third-party damage.