Antares force-lands on a mountain slope after sinking in a ridge's lee

The pilot was slightly injured and the glider destroyed in a forced landing on a steep mountain slope. On a weak soaring day, the experienced pilot was thermalling in tight spirals just above a ridge crest at low speed when he most probably drifted into the lee of the ridge and lost height abruptly. Below the crest, facing the slope and too slow to turn away safely, he put the glider down on the east face with no time to lower the gear. Circling close to a ridge should keep at least 150-200 m of clearance above it, switching to figure-eight turns into the wind below that; the pilot judged afterwards that his speed had been too low.

1. Weak-lift mountain flight: The experienced pilot self-launched from Vinon and worked northeast up the Durance valley on a weak day, using the motor three times.
2. Spiralling close to the crest: Near 14:15 the pilot circled in tight spirals just above the crest of the Montagne du Blayeul at low speed.
3. Lee-side sink below the crest: He most probably drifted into the lee of the ridge; the glider abruptly lost height and dropped below the crest.
4. No room to turn away: Below the crest, facing the slope and too slow, the pilot could not turn safely to get clear of the terrain.
5. Forced landing on the slope: He put the glider down on the east face at about 1,950 m with the gear still up; the glider was destroyed and the pilot slightly injured.