Crash d'un SHK 1 lors d'une manœuvre à basse altitude près du Piz Murtel, Suisse

Le 19 juillet 1969, un Schempp-Hirth SHK 1 s'est écrasé près du Piz Murtel, en Suisse, en tentant d'éviter les câbles de téléphérique. Le pilote, qui volait à basse altitude, a perdu le contrôle et est entré en vrille. Bien qu'il ait récupéré de la vrille, le planeur a percuté une pente enneigée, entraînant de graves blessures pour le pilote et la destruction de l'appareil. L'enquête a confirmé l'absence de défauts techniques sur le planeur, et l'accident a été attribué à la perte de contrôle du pilote lors de la manœuvre.

1. Ridge soaring flight: After a winch launch from Samedan, the pilot conducted ridge and mountain soaring, eventually arriving near the Corvatsch ridge slightly above crest height and then flying along the west side.
2. Low height near cables: The pilot began circling in weak lift only about 50 m above the Corvatsch cable car upper station, in close proximity to the cable car wires and terrain.
3. High weight, aft CG: The glider was about 7 kg over maximum permitted weight with the center of gravity in the rear part of the allowable range, conditions known to influence stall and spin behavior.
4. Tight turn to avoid cables: When he sank to around ridge height and perceived a risk of getting close to the cable car wires, the pilot tightened a left turn by increasing bank from about 30° to 45° while simultaneously pulling back on the stick.
5. Stall and spin entry: The increased bank and back pressure at low speed led to exceeding the critical angle of attack, causing buffet and an abrupt wing drop into a right spin from low altitude.
6. Spin recovery attempt: The pilot applied recovery inputs and succeeded in stopping the spin after roughly three-quarters of a turn, but remained very close to the snow-covered slope.
7. Crash - serious injury: With insufficient height remaining to complete the recovery and flare, the glider impacted the 36° snow slope nose-first at about 100 km/h near Piz Murtel, seriously injuring the pilot and destroying the aircraft.