Rhönlerche II incident during training approach at Grenchen airfield

On July 27, 1967, a Rhönlerche II experienced an incident during a training flight at Grenchen airfield in Switzerland. The student pilot, conducting a solo flight, attempted to land crosswind and entered a stall during a low, slow turn. The aircraft rolled over the right wing and impacted the ground. The pilot sustained a minor injury to the right ankle, and the aircraft suffered 40% damage. No ground damage was reported.

1. Aerotow local flight: During a solo training aerotow flight from Grenchen, the student released at about 600 m above ground near Bettlach and soon encountered strong sink.
2. Abandons standard approach: Arriving over the airfield buildings at about 120 m AGL, the student abandoned the normal into-wind approach to runway 07 after seeing a Piper on final and fearing a conflict.
3. Low experience, distraction: The inexperienced student misjudged the Piper’s actual landing path and altitude, forgot the glider’s right-of-way, and became unsettled, impairing calm decision-making.
4. Multiple plan changes: Instead of continuing a normal approach, the student first decided to land with tailwind on the glider strip, then changed plan again on noticing a tow combination preparing for launch and flew along the southern boundary at low height.
5. Low, slow crosswind turn: With height reduced to about 20–30 m AGL, the student attempted yet another change of landing direction, initiating a low-altitude turn to land crosswise to the strip while allowing airspeed to decay.
6. Stall in final turn: At approximately 6–7 m above ground in this final turn, the glider stalled and dropped over the right wing despite a ground signal from the instructor to lower the nose.
7. Crash - minor injury: The Rhönlerche impacted the ground on the right wing, causing about 40% structural damage and a minor ankle injury to the pilot, with no ground damage.