Colisión en el aire entre Ka 7 y L-Spatz cerca de Schafberg, Samedan resulta en dos muertes
El 11 de julio de 1966, ocurrió una colisión en el aire entre un Ka 7 y un L-Spatz 55 cerca de Schafberg, Samedan, Suiza. Ambos planeadores participaban en un vuelo de ascenso cuando el Ka 7 giró abruptamente a la izquierda y colisionó con el L-Spatz por detrás. La colisión provocó el accidente de ambos planeadores, resultando en la destrucción total de las aeronaves y la muerte de ambos pilotos. La investigación oficial concluyó que la insuficiente vigilancia del espacio aéreo por parte del piloto del Ka 7 fue la causa probable del accidente.
- Winch launch - soaring: After winch launches from Samedan, the Ka-7 pilot flew ridge/thermal soaring along the Schafberg area during his planned five-hour flight.
- Limited alpine experience: The Ka-7 pilot, accustomed to flatland flying and with little experience in alpine soaring, was on his first solo flight in the Engadin and had only one prior local dual familiarization flight.
- Low height over terrain: Both gliders were operating relatively low above the Schafberg slope, with the Spatz in only 'slight' height over the terrain and the collision occurring about 80–100 m above ground.
- Abrupt left turn: While flying down-valley parallel to the Schafberg slope toward a group of circling gliders, the Ka-7 abruptly banked steeply left away from the ridge toward the valley center, into the path of the Spatz.
- Inadequate lookout: During or before initiating the abrupt left turn, the Ka-7 pilot failed to adequately monitor the airspace and did not detect the Spatz ahead and below on the new flight path.
- Rear-end collision: The Ka-7 struck the Spatz from behind with its left wing root, severing part of the Spatz’s left wing and tail and slightly damaging the Ka-7’s left wing, causing both aircraft to enter steep descents.
- Crash - fatal: Both gliders impacted the Schafberg slope in steep attitudes and were destroyed, and both pilots sustained fatal injuries.