Ventus 2C loss of control on final — pilot incapacitation in heatwave

A Ventus 2C dived near-vertically into a maize field ~500 m short of Issoire - Le Broc RWY 36; the pilot was fatally injured. A heatwave brought 36°C; the cockpit was unconditioned and poorly ventilated, conditions likely to trigger malaise. On tow the glider could not track behind the tug; the pilot released at 350 m and returned for landing with no radio response. The circuit showed large pitch and altitude variations, a wide final, and a high approach. After airbrakes were deployed on the ground-manager's call, the glider pitched abruptly nose-down. Investigators cited incapacitation from an undetected cardiac pathology in the heat.

1. Aerotow departure in heatwave: The pilot took off by aerotow from runway 36R at Issoire - Le Broc during a heatwave, with a surface temperature of 36°C, light northeasterly wind, and clear skies.
2. Cockpit unconditioned: The Ventus 2C cockpit had no air conditioning and was not sealed, ventilated only via a small lateral window; after canopy closure the pilot faced the full heatwave temperature.
3. Undetected cardiac pathology: An autopsy found previously undetected advanced cardiac pathology consistent with a risk of in-flight malaise; no cardiac antecedents had been declared before the flight.
4. Pilot unable to track behind tug: The towpilot saw the glider unable to hold its position behind the tug, low and off-axis during the climb; before he could call the pilot, he heard him announce cable release on the radio.
5. Early cable release at 350 m: After about two and a half minutes of tow, the pilot released at 350 m, well below the typical 600 m, and turned downwind without replying to radio calls or making position calls.
6. Unstable circuit and final: Witnesses saw large pitch and altitude swings through the circuit; the final turn was wide, overshooting the runway axis high. Airbrakes came out on instruction, but pitch kept oscillating.
7. Abrupt nose-down pitch on final: On short final, the nose suddenly dropped before the threshold and the glider descended near-vertically into a maize field; ruptured control rods matched ground impact, not prior failure.
8. Near-vertical impact, fatal: The glider struck a maize field about 500 m short of the runway 36 threshold in a near-vertical impact, destroying the aircraft and fatally injuring the pilot.