Ka 6 crash at Munt Müsella results in fatality
On August 24, 1964, a Ka 6 glider crashed at Munt Müsella, Switzerland, during an alpine ridge flight. The pilot, a German national with extensive flying experience, lost control of the aircraft while executing a high-banked turn at insufficient altitude. The glider impacted the steep hillside, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the pilot's death. The investigation found no technical faults with the aircraft, and weather conditions were generally favorable with some localized turbulence.
- Ridge soaring flight: After a winch launch from Samedan and initial thermaling, the pilot proceeded to ridge-soar along the steep northeast face of Munt Müsella at several hundred meters above the airfield.
- Low height over slope: While flying along the Munt Müsella ridge, the glider was at an altitude that provided insufficient height above the steep slope to safely recover from a stall or upset.
- Local turbulence and gusts: In the accident area, broken thermals and moderate gustiness existed near the slope, creating variable updrafts that could disturb the glider’s attitude.
- High-pitch turn initiated: The pilot initiated a steep, nose-high 'hochgezogene Fahrtkurve' to rapidly enter a thermal or updraft near the ridge, bringing the wing close to the critical angle of attack.
- Stall and departure: During the high-pitch turn, the glider likely reached the critical angle of attack, was affected by a gust, and abruptly stalled and departed into a steep, descending turn with loss of control.
- Crash - fatal: After about a half to three-quarter turn in the ensuing dive, the glider impacted the steep Munt Müsella slope almost vertically at high speed, destroying the aircraft and killing the pilot.