LS6 strikes steep terrain in a late attempt to land out

The pilot of an LS6 was seriously injured and the glider destroyed after it struck steep terrain in a late attempt to land out near Argentine. Four hours into a flight from Fayence-Tourrettes, the pilot met deteriorating conditions in the Maurienne valley and lost about 650 m in the final ten minutes, dropping out of reach of the nearest airfield and the marked safe-landing areas. The glider hit the ground steeply, nose-down and banked right. Unfavourable valley airflow was the main factor, with limited local experience and possible dehydration contributing.

1. Cross-country from Fayence: The pilot took off in aerotow at 11:26 from Fayence-Tourrettes, flew north across the southern Alps, entered the Maurienne valley around 14:00 at ~2700 m, then continued along the slope.
2. Limited Maurienne experience: Habituated to long cross-country flights in the southern Alps, the pilot had little experience in the Maurienne valley; the local chief pilot was surprised to see him fly there.
3. Possible dehydration: No water bottles were found at the site, and it could not be confirmed whether the pilot had water aboard; dehydration could have impaired concentration and vigilance at 29 °C.
4. Unfavourable Maurienne aerology: On a west-facing slope, the pilot met high cirrus reducing thermal convection and weak, variable wind preventing ridge lift; only weak lift remained windward, none in the valley.
5. Past reachable safe options: The glider lost about 650 m in 10 minutes over ~15 km, sink reaching -5 m/s; the pilot passed the nearest airfield's local zone and the listed alpine safety landing areas.
6. Diverged for outlanding: At 570 m (215 m AGL), 2.5 km from the site, the pilot diverged from the relief and made a U-turn at 410 m (80 m AGL); the last FLARM point was at 30 m AGL, 900 m from impact.
7. High-angle terrain impact: The glider struck the ground nose-down (over 30°) with a right bank, between an oak and a power line, leaving a wingtip strike and nose crater; the pilot was seriously injured.