Bergfalke II collision with students during landing at Schänis airfield

On July 28, 1965, a Bergfalke II glider collided with two students during landing at Schänis Airfield in Switzerland. The pilot was conducting training flights as part of a course when the incident occurred. While landing on runway 17, the glider's left wing struck the students who were moving across the airfield, resulting in injuries. The aircraft sustained significant damage, but the occupants were unharmed. The injured students were treated at a hospital and released the same day.

1. Aerotow — landing: After several earlier flights, the Bergfalke II HB-569 returned from an aerotow flight and the pilot set up a landing on runway 17 with the intention of making a long landing near the hangar.
2. Students on runway: At the same time, the FVS student group, instructed to move along the airfield edge to the opposite end, walked about 25 m inside the grass strip toward the midpoint of the runway, contrary to procedures.
3. Pilot proximity choice: The pilot saw the marching students in the final approach, chose not to displace further right toward the wetter central area, and aimed to land close to them but still reach the hangar, estimating only about 6 m lateral clearance from the left wingtip.
4. Insufficient lateral separation: During the flare and touchdown, the actual lateral distance between the glider’s left wing and the walking students proved too small to guarantee safe separation, leaving no margin for minor path deviations by either party.
5. Wing strikes students: Immediately after touchdown roughly halfway along the strip, the left wingtip of HB-569 struck two students from behind, knocking them to the ground and injuring them.
6. Ground loop and damage: Following the impact, the glider yawed left around its vertical axis, the left wing and rear fuselage were structurally damaged, and the aircraft came to rest about 40 m beyond the touchdown point, turned approximately 180 degrees.
7. Crash - minor injury: The collision during landing caused minor injuries to the two students and substantial damage to the glider, while the pilot and passenger remained uninjured.