Accidente del Ka 8B durante el aterrizaje cerca de Villars-le-Terroir, Suiza, sin lesiones
El 5 de mayo de 1968, un Alexander Schleicher Ka 8B sufrió un aterrizaje forzoso cerca de Villars-le-Terroir, Suiza. El piloto intentó aterrizar en un campo tras encontrar dificultades para regresar al aeródromo. Durante la aproximación final, el planeador perdió el control y se estrelló contra el suelo, causando daños significativos al fuselaje y al ala derecha. Afortunadamente, el piloto salió ileso. La investigación atribuyó el accidente a una pérdida de control debido a una velocidad de aproximación insuficiente.
- Aerotow local flight: The pilot aerotowed from Lausanne-Blécherette for a local training flight and released at about 1000 m above ground near Assens.
- Unable to reach airfield: After encountering very weak lift and increasingly strong sink, the pilot realized he could no longer return to Lausanne-Blécherette and committed to an outlanding near Villars-le-Terroir.
- Non-standard circuit: The pilot conducted the field landing pattern using two 360° turns and a single 180° turn rather than the standard rectangular circuit recommended for outlandings.
- Low approach speed: On final with airbrakes half extended, the pilot likely pulled back progressively on the stick to ensure clearance over a 15 m tree line, reducing the Ka-8B to an insufficient approach speed.
- Stall and nose drop: Immediately after clearing the trees, the glider abruptly pitched down and stalled, with no effective response to the pilot’s aft stick input.
- Crash - no injury: The glider struck the ground at about a 30° angle with the right wing and nose, rebounded, and came to rest in the field with severe fuselage and right wing damage, while the pilot was uninjured.