Incidente del DFS Kranich en Kerenzerberg con colisión en árboles
El 17 de mayo de 1964, un DFS Kranich II estuvo involucrado en un incidente en Kerenzerberg, Suiza. El planeador, que llevaba a un piloto y un pasajero, colisionó con las copas de los árboles durante un vuelo de ladera. El piloto sufrió lesiones faciales leves, mientras que el pasajero resultó ileso. La aeronave fue destruida al impactar. La investigación no encontró defectos técnicos, y el incidente probablemente se debió a un error de control del piloto.
- Winch launch ridge flight: The DFS Kranich HB-481 was winch-launched from Mollis for a ridge-soaring flight along the Kerenzerberg with a pilot and passenger on board.
- Limited pilot experience: The pilot had relatively low overall gliding experience and only a few hours and flights on the Kranich type, whose stall and handling characteristics were known to be not very forgiving.
- Low, close ridge flying: After release the glider climbed to about 300 m above the airfield and then flew in fairly close proximity to the Kerenzerberg slope at low height gain using figure-eight passes.
- Improper turn away: While flying near the slope at 70–80 km/h, the pilot initiated a left turn to reverse course away from the ridge but likely mis-coordinated the controls, using aileron without adequate rudder input.
- Continued circling near slope: When the glider continued turning left instead of rolling out, the pilot chose to complete a full circle toward the slope and then again attempted to roll out, still struggling to stop the left turn.
- Loss of control near terrain: Despite increased right control input and higher speed, the glider remained in a left-turning, slipping attitude toward the ridge with insufficient horizontal clearance, making collision unavoidable.
- Crash - minor injury: Around 1720 the glider struck the crowns of tall beech trees above the Kerenzerberg road, tumbled down through the forest and was destroyed, with the pilot sustaining minor facial injuries and the passenger uninjured.