Incident de Rhönlerche II lors d'une approche d'entraînement à l'aérodrome de Grenchen

Le 27 juillet 1967, un incident est survenu avec un planeur Rhönlerche II lors d'un vol d'entraînement à l'aérodrome de Grenchen en Suisse. Le pilote élève, effectuant un vol en solo, a tenté d'atterrir avec un vent de travers et est entré en décrochage lors d'un virage bas et lent. L'appareil a basculé sur l'aile droite et a percuté le sol. Le pilote a subi une légère blessure à la cheville droite, et le planeur a subi 40% de dommages. Aucun dommage au sol n'a été signalé.

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.