Incidente del Karpf Baby durante vuelo de entrenamiento en el Aeropuerto de Les Eplatures
El 26 de junio de 1965, un Karpf-Flugzeugbau Karpf Baby estuvo involucrado en un accidente en el Aeropuerto de Les Eplatures en Suiza durante un vuelo de entrenamiento. El piloto estudiante, remolcado por una aeronave Piper, soltó el cable de remolque a baja altitud debido a un viento cruzado. El planeador viró a la derecha y colisionó con el techo de un hangar antes de estrellarse contra el suelo. El piloto sufrió heridas graves y el planeador fue destruido. El accidente se atribuyó a una probable reacción de pánico del piloto estudiante.
- 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.