Ka 7 outlanding near Schänis results in injuries and significant damage

On June 2, 1968, an Alexander Schleicher Ka 7 experienced an outlanding near Schänis, Switzerland. The glider, carrying a pilot and a passenger, was forced to land in a field after encountering insufficient lift during the flight. During the landing attempt, the right wing touched the ground, leading to a crash. The pilot sustained serious injuries, while the passenger was lightly injured. The aircraft suffered heavy damage, and there was minor damage to the field.

1. Aerotow local soaring: After an aerotow departure from Schänis, the pilot conducted a local soaring flight along the Schäniserberg and towards Weesen–Amden with a passenger on board.
2. Insufficient height for return: On the return leg near the Biberlichopf, with about 500 m AGL and experiencing sink, the pilot realized that reaching Schänis airfield would be doubtful and that an outlanding would likely be required.
3. Low height near field: Continuing toward Schänis with diminishing altitude, the pilot approached the area west of the station at about 200 m AGL, leaving little margin for a normal landing circuit.
4. Abandoned first outlanding plan: Despite having selected a suitable field west of Schänis station, the pilot turned right about 45° to chase a reported area of lift instead of committing to the planned outlanding.
5. Low, downwind return: Finding renewed sink, the pilot turned left about 180° to return to the chosen field, now with a tailwind and at very low height, and then attempted to turn right parallel to the railway using mostly rudder to avoid banking.
6. Wing drop and ground contact: In the shallow, skid-prone turn close to the ground, the glider tended to drop the right wing, and despite the pilot pushing the nose down and adding bank, the right wingtip struck the ground about 70 m from the railway.
7. Crash - serious injury: The glider pivoted about 180° over its nose and came to rest after about 30 m, seriously injuring the pilot, slightly injuring the passenger, and heavily damaging the aircraft in an off-field landing.