Colisión del Neukom Elfe MN con un árbol durante aterrizaje en campo cerca de Baar, Suiza

El 17 de mayo de 1964, un Neukom Elfe MN experimentó una colisión con un árbol durante un intento de aterrizaje en campo entre Baar y Kappel, Suiza. El piloto, que participaba en una competición nacional de vuelo a vela, inició un aterrizaje de emergencia tras encontrar dificultades. Durante el aterrizaje, falló el freno de paracaídas, lo que llevó a una aproximación a alta velocidad y la posterior colisión con un árbol. El piloto resultó ileso, pero el planeador sufrió daños significativos. La investigación identificó la falla del anclaje del freno de paracaídas como un factor clave en el incidente.

1. Cross-country thermaling: During a competition cross-country flight after aerotow departure from Hausen am Albis, the pilot flew for an extended period in weak thermals in the Sihlbrugg–Menzingen area.
2. Forced outlanding decision: Around 1400, after insufficient climb in weak thermals, the pilot decided he had to perform an outlanding between Baar and Kappel.
3. Short, tree-lined field: The selected outlanding field was short and surrounded by scattered trees, making it suitable only for a steep approach using the braking parachute.
4. Defective chute attachment: The braking parachute’s cable loop was improperly secured with inadequate clamps, predisposing the parachute attachment to failure under load.
5. Parachute attachment fails: On the first steep approach the pilot deployed the braking parachute, but it provided no braking effect because the attachment tore out, leaving the glider fast and unable to land in the short field.
6. Multiple high-speed re-approaches: Believing initially that the parachute had not fully opened, the pilot overflew the field at high speed, then, after noticing from the shadow that the chute was gone, attempted a second and then a third approach, each time still too fast for the confined area.
7. Outlanding - damage: On the third approach the pilot could no longer clear the last trees and deliberately flew the glider at minimum speed into a tree crown, remaining uninjured while the aircraft was heavily damaged.