Ka 7 Außenlandung in der Nähe von Schänis führt zu Verletzungen und erheblichen Schäden

Am 2. Juni 1968 führte eine Alexander Schleicher Ka 7 eine Außenlandung in der Nähe von Schänis, Schweiz, durch. Das Segelflugzeug, das einen Piloten und einen Passagier beförderte, musste nach unzureichendem Auftrieb während des Fluges in einem Feld landen. Beim Landeversuch berührte der rechte Flügel den Boden, was zu einem Absturz führte. Der Pilot erlitt schwere Verletzungen, während der Passagier leicht verletzt wurde. Das Flugzeug erlitt schwere Schäden, und es gab geringfügige Schäden am Feld.

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.