Ka 4 Rhönlerche II incident during training at Amlikon airfield with hard landing
On August 19, 1964, a training flight involving an Alexander Schleicher Ka 4 Rhönlerche II ended in a hard landing at Amlikon airfield, Switzerland. The glider veered sharply to the right during final approach after recovering from a left slip. The pilot, a student, attempted to correct the course but lost control, resulting in a hard impact with the ground. The aircraft sustained significant damage, while the pilot suffered minor injuries. The incident occurred amidst turbulent weather conditions during a pre-flight training course.
- Aerotow landing approach: During an aerotow training flight, the student pilot was on final approach to runway 28, executing a planned left glissade (slip) for landing.
- Loss of coordination: After recovering from the left glissade at about 30 m AGL and slightly left of the centerline, the student failed to properly coordinate aileron and rudder inputs.
- Low experience, turbulence: The pilot was a relatively low-time student and the approach sector was known to be turbulent in the prevailing west–southwest wind, potentially complicating control near the ground.
- Right yaw and sideslip: The glider’s nose yawed sharply to the right while maintaining bank, departing the runway heading at roughly a right angle in a strong sideslip and crossing over the Thur in downwind.
- Attempted right turn back: Per the investigator’s assessment, the student likely attempted to turn the unintended right yaw into a deliberate right turn to bring the glider back toward the airfield, but did not regain effective control.
- Unarrested descending turn: The glider continued in a descending right turn with 20–30° nose-down attitude and bank, with no visible flare or reduction of bank before ground contact.
- Crash - minor injury: Still in a right turn and nose-low attitude, the glider impacted the ground hard near the beginning of the runway, breaking the right wing and deforming the fuselage, and the pilot sustained minor facial injuries.