Grunau Baby II crash during aerotow training at Bad Ragaz airfield
On July 16, 1963, a Grunau Baby II crashed during an aerotow training flight at Bad Ragaz airfield in Switzerland. The pilot, resuming training after a long break, released from tow near a high-voltage line, fearing a collision. Attempting to fly under the line, the glider impacted the ground at a steep angle. The pilot suffered minor injuries, while the glider was completely destroyed. The official report attributes the accident to the pilot's misjudgment of the situation.
- Aerotow initial climb: During the second aerotow training flight after a break of more than a year, the glider was climbing behind the Chipmunk towplane from runway 29.
- Low recent experience: The pilot had limited total gliding experience and was resuming flying after an interruption of more than one year, reducing his recency and judgment margins.
- High-voltage line ahead: About 550 m beyond the runway end in the takeoff direction, a roughly 30 m high high-voltage power line crossed the departure path, making climb performance margins tight.
- Perceived obstacle conflict: As the tow approached the power line, the glider pilot, having overflown the towplane, believed the combination would not clear the cables and feared a collision.
- Premature tow release: Shortly before the power line, the pilot released from tow and immediately pushed into a steep dive in an attempt to pass under the cables.
- Excessive nose-down dive: In diving to avoid the perceived obstacle, the pilot steepened the glider’s attitude so much that he could not recover to level flight in the remaining height above ground.
- Crash - minor injury: The glider struck the ground at a steep angle short of the power line, was completely destroyed, and the pilot sustained only minor abrasions.