Collision du Karpf Baby avec une ligne téléphonique lors d'un atterrissage en campagne près de Heuheim, Suisse

Le 7 juin 1964, un Karpf-Flugzeugbau Karpf Baby a connu un incident près de Heuheim, Suisse. Le pilote, avec une expérience limitée, a été contraint de choisir un site d'atterrissage entouré d'obstacles après avoir perdu de l'altitude. Lors de l'approche d'atterrissage, le planeur est entré en collision avec une ligne téléphonique, causant des dommages importants à l'aile droite et des blessures mineures au pilote. Le pilote a subi une commotion cérébrale et a été incapable de travailler pendant environ un mois. Le rapport a confirmé que la collision s'est produite lors d'une tentative d'atterrissage d'urgence.

1. Aerotow cross-country: The pilot aerotowed from Hausen a/A and began local soaring, following other gliders southeast toward Baar.
2. Unnoticed height loss: While searching for lift near Baar, the pilot failed to notice in time that he had descended into sinking air and his altitude had reduced to about 400 m above ground.
3. Low experience: The pilot had limited gliding experience (about 13 hours in 78 flights), which contributed to being surprised by the rapid height loss and late decision-making.
4. Limited landing options: By the time the pilot decided to land, he was low over hilly terrain where the best field was unusable due to people haymaking, leaving only a marginal field surrounded by obstacles.
5. Forced landing decision: With no prospect of regaining height and unable to return to the home airfield, the pilot committed to a forced landing in a small valley field bordered by power and telephone lines and nearby houses.
6. Obstacle approach: During the final approach, the pilot pulled up to clear a high-voltage line, reducing airspeed so much that the glider became almost uncontrollable as he tried to avoid nearby houses and other obstacles.
7. Crash - minor injury: The glider struck a telephone line, the right wing caught on a pole and the left wingtip hit the ground, causing substantial wing damage, and the pilot, believing he was in a high-voltage line, jumped 3–4 m to the ground and sustained a concussion and shock.