Karpf Baby incident during training flight at Les Eplatures Aéroport
On June 26, 1965, a Karpf-Flugzeugbau Karpf Baby was involved in an accident at Les Eplatures Aéroport in Switzerland during a training flight. The student pilot, being towed by a Piper aircraft, released the tow cable at a low altitude due to a crosswind. The glider veered right and collided with a hangar roof before crashing to the ground. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the glider was destroyed. The accident was attributed to a probable panic reaction by the student pilot.
- Aerotow takeoff: During an aerotow training flight from runway 06, the student in Karpf Baby HB-513 began a normal takeoff behind a Piper PA-18 in a strong, turbulent crosswind.
- Early tow release: Shortly after liftoff, when the glider had drifted slightly off the runway centerline, the student released the tow cable at only about 10–15 meters altitude.
- Strong crosswind: A 10–15 knot N-NE crosswind with moderate to strong turbulence made directional control after low-altitude tow release more difficult.
- Limited glider experience: The student had relatively little recent glider experience, with only a few prior solo glider flights and none since the previous year.
- Probable panic reaction: Seeing the glider displaced to the right of the towplane, the student likely reacted in panic by releasing the tow and then holding full control inputs without effectively correcting the bank.
- Uncontrolled right turn: After the low-altitude release, the glider rolled and turned further to the right despite full aileron and rudder correction, leading to loss of control close to the ground.
- Crash - serious injury: The glider’s right wing struck a hangar roof, the fuselage hit the farmhouse roof ridge, and the aircraft then fell nearly vertically to the ground, seriously injuring the pilot and destroying the glider.