Incidente del Spalinger S-19 durante el lanzamiento por torno en el aeródromo de Amlikon, accidente de entrenamiento de vuelo

El 19 de abril de 1965, un Spalinger S-19 estuvo involucrado en un accidente durante un vuelo de entrenamiento en el aeródromo de Amlikon en Suiza. El estudiante de vuelo, que había cambiado recientemente a este modelo de avión, encontró dificultades durante el lanzamiento por torno cuando la punta del ala izquierda tocó el suelo, causando que el planeador se desviara a la izquierda. A pesar de los intentos de corregir la situación, la aeronave entró en una subida pronunciada y sufrió una pérdida de sustentación, lo que llevó a un accidente. El estudiante sufrió heridas graves y la aeronave fue destruida. La investigación destacó la falta del estudiante para liberar el cable del torno como un factor contribuyente.

1. Winch launch ground roll: During a training winch launch on grass runway 28, the student began the ground roll in the Spalinger S-19 shortly after being newly converted to this type.
2. Left wingtip strike: While accelerating on the ground, the left wingtip touched the ground and the glider yawed somewhat to the left.
3. Launch continued, correction: Believing he could recover without issue, the student did not release the winch cable and instead applied full right aileron and rudder to correct the deviation.
4. Abnormal steep climb: After liftoff, the winch-launched glider, tethered near its center of gravity, pitched into an abnormally steep climb and began a slow right rolling/yawing motion despite full opposite control inputs.
5. Late cable release: At about 30 m above ground, after the aircraft’s longitudinal axis had passed the vertical with airspeed greatly reduced, the student finally released the winch cable.
6. Stall and dive: Following cable release, the glider transitioned into a dive from which the pilot, even with full up elevator, could not fully arrest the descent.
7. Crash - serious injury: Approximately 120 m from the start point the glider impacted the runway area at a 30–45° angle, first striking the right wingtip and then breaking up, seriously injuring the student pilot and destroying the aircraft.