Ka 6 CR comes down nose-first in a meadow hemmed in by houses and trees
The pilot was seriously injured and the glider destroyed in an outlanding beside houses at the end of an eight-hour, 388-kilometre alpine flight. With the thermals fading late in the day, a last climb attempt topped out 660 metres above ground and the valley could no longer be crossed. The pilot committed to a mown meadow about 130 by 30 metres inside a residential area, bounded by a stream, trees and houses; better fields lay south. The pilot approached at about 110 km/h with airbrakes, against the risk of overshooting into buildings, then flared too late; the glider struck nose-first, the cockpit tore away and the wreck slewed 20 metres.
- Outlanding after the lift failed: At the end of an eight-hour, 388-kilometre alpine flight from Germany the thermals faded and the pilot could no longer climb high enough to cross the valley.
- Climb attempt failed at 660 m AGL: A last attempt to climb near Lofer topped out at about 1300 metres MSL, roughly 660 metres above ground, and an outlanding became unavoidable.
- Confined meadow chosen late: The chosen meadow measured about 130 by 30 metres inside a residential area, bounded by a stream, trees and houses. Better fields lay south of the town.
- Fast approach into a tight field: The pilot flew the final approach at about 110 km/h with the airbrakes out, because overshooting the short field risked a collision with buildings.
- Flare begun too late: The pilot started the round-out too late and the glider struck the ground nose-first.
- Cockpit torn away in the impact: The cockpit and instrument pod broke off, the right wing touched the ground and the glider slewed right, stopping 20 metres on. The pilot was seriously injured.