Ka 8B rate l'atterrissage à l'aérodrome d'Olten, entraînant des dommages

Le 27 avril 1968, un Alexander Schleicher K 8B a été impliqué dans un incident à l'aérodrome d'Olten en Suisse. Lors de l'approche finale, le planeur a raté la piste et a effectué un atterrissage d'urgence dans une carrière de gravier située près de l'aérodrome. Le pilote, qui avait récemment repris le vol après une pause, n'a pas été blessé, mais le planeur a subi des dommages importants. L'enquête a noté que le pilote avait mal jugé l'effet des conditions de vent dominantes, ce qui a contribué à l'incident.

1. Aerotow cross-country: After an aerotow to about 500 m above Olten, the pilot climbed in lift to around 1100 m and drifted toward the Aarau area before returning toward Olten.
2. Low recent experience: The pilot had only about 40 hours total gliding experience and was flying solo after a 1½‑year interruption in his training.
3. Headwind on return: On the return leg from the Aarau area the pilot encountered significant headwind, reducing his groundspeed and usable range.
4. Misjudged wind in circuit: Arriving north abeam the runway threshold at about 210 m indicated altitude, the pilot planned a standard circuit but misjudged the effect of the southwest wind on his groundspeed and required height.
5. Continued low final: He turned from downwind through base onto final for runway 23, allowing the approach to become too low under the prevailing wind conditions instead of adjusting his pattern or selecting an earlier landing area.
6. Attempted berm landing: Realizing he could not reach the runway, the pilot attempted to land on the upper edge of the gravel pit about 100–120 m before the threshold, turning left close to the ground.
7. Outlanding - damage: During the low left turn the wingtip struck the ground, resulting in a crash landing on the slope of the gravel pit that significantly damaged the glider but left the pilot uninjured.