In 2021, the BEA published 18 reports concerning glider or tug accidents. These reports concern accidents that resulted in the fatal injury of five people. Six other people were seriously injured and five suffered more minor injuries. Five topics are particularly dominant in these occurrences.

1. Safety margin with respect to terrain

It is usual for a glider to use uplifts close to the terrain. The safety margins are reduced and the manoeuvre height does not always permit the pilot to regain control of the glider.

The Safety in Mountain Flying guide available on the CNVV (French gliding federation) website  presents the essential recommendations for mountain flying. In particular, it addresses the practice of flying near the terrain and aerological traps.

The safety guide issues a reminder of the need to avoid “facing the ridge and turning at the last moment. An erroneous evaluation of the ground speed would force the pilot to tighten the turn with all the associated risks.” In addition, it states that it is essential, according to the profile of the terrain, to “maintain a certain height. Beware of the high points on gentle slopes.” This guide also recommends maintaining a minimum speed of 1.45 Vs in flight close to the terrain.

This guide warns pilots that “the evolution of the air masses in mountains is complex. Local phenomena, linked to the shapes of mountains, and to the interactions between winds, valley breezes, the nature of the ground, the influence of the sea, different climatic areas etc., are sometimes more important than the general meteorological situation. This results in situations that evolve unpredictably and sometimes for the worse. Be particularly cautious about invisible lines of downdrafts provoked by near or distant mountains, or by conflicts in air masses.”

The report concerning the accident to F-CGYB on 15 October 2019 at Pic Saint-Loup illustrates this safety topic.

Similar occurrences published in 2021:

• F-CIJT on 19 August 2020 at Saint-André-les-Alpes
• F-CDYD on 25 June 2020 at Montagnole
• D-5304 on 9 July 2020 at Saint-Pons
• F-CGTP on 18 October 2020 at Isolaccio di Fiumorbo

Two people were fatally injured and one person was injured in the occurrences mentioned.

This topic was also identified in 2020 with five reports published concerning accidents in which three people were fatally injured, one was seriously injured and two suffered more minor injuries.

2. Start of search and rescue operations in the event of an accident (the scope of which is not exclusively linked to the use of gliders)

Since 2000, the BEA has investigated more than 10 glider accidents during which the rescue operations were started late. One of the ways of limiting the consequences of an accident is to provide first aid to the occupants as quickly as possible.

In France, it is not mandatory for gliders to carry an emergency locator transmitter. The emergency locator transmitters (ELT) installed on aircraft such as personal locator beacons (PLB) enable search and rescue operations to start rapidly.

An alternative to carrying an ELT could be the use of OGN data, which locates gliders in real time and which, today, are only used once an alert has been received to define the search area around the last known position. The DGAC is currently discussing the feasibility of this alternative.

Moreover, the free aeronautical emergency number, 191, available around-the-clock, can be called from landline or mobile telephones, providing direct access to the rescue coordination centre. A new poster advertising the number 191 has been designed by the ARCC Lyon and is being distributed to emergency services.

The report concerning the accident to F-CIJT on 19 August 2020 at Saint-André-les-Alpes  illustrates this safety topic.

Similar occurrences published in 2021:

• F-CDYD on 25 June 2020 at Montagnole
• D-5304 on 9 July 2020 at Saint-Pons
• F-CGTP on 18 October 2020 at Isolaccio di Fiumorbo

One person was fatally injured and one person was injured in the occurrences mentioned.

3. Unusual position of the glider in towed flight

An unusual position of the glider in towed flight can cause a destabilisation of the combination or even a loss of control in flight.

The DSAC and the French Gliding Federation (FFVP) issued a recent reminder concerning the threats linked to the high tow position of the glider and the measures recommended to avoid this situation in the following two videos: Haute tension (tension in the tow line) and Les positions hautes en remorquage (High tow positions).

In particular, tug pilots are strongly advised to release the cable as soon as they encounter control difficulties, and glider pilots are strongly advised to release the cable as soon as they lose sight of the tug. The report concerning the accident to F-HKZZ on 2 September 2020 at Bagnères-de-Luchon illustrates this safety topic.

Similar occurrence published in 2021:

• 64ADG on 30 September 2020 at Itxassou

Moreover, if the best rate of climb speed (Vy) of the glider is not reached, the combination may become unstable, with the glider remaining in the low tow position. The characteristics of some gliders or the specificities of towing by microlight may favour this situation if they are not anticipated.

The report concerning the accident to F-CFDX on 30 July 2020 at Château-Arnoult Saint-Auban illustrates this safety topic.

One person was fatally injured, one person was seriously injured and one person was injured in the occurrences mentioned.

4. Pilot incapacitation

Hypoxia can occur from an altitude of 1,500 m. The symptoms can be immediate or delayed, and include in particular, fatigue and cognitive impairments. It is generally at the end of the flight that these impairments may produce effects, without the pilot being aware of the problem, at a time when he or she may also be subject to fatigue due to the duration of the flight. The combining of these unfavourable factors makes the conduct of the flight and the assessment of aerological conditions more difficult for the pilot.

The report concerning the accident to F-CIJT on 19 August 2020 at Saint-André-les-Alpes  indicates the pilot being possibly tired at the end of the flight as a factor contributing to the loss of control, combined with the potential occurrence of hypoxia effects. 

The report concerning the accident to F-CHLU on 19 April 2010 at Pont-sur-Yonne envisages the hypothesis that the pilot might have had a dizzy spell or fainted due to a pre-existing cardiovascular pathology made worse by exertion and hypoxia.

Due to operating costs, the environment and noise pollution, microlights are likely to be used as tugs more frequently in the future. The limitations of the class 2 medical certificate are not applicable under the regulations to tow flights with a microlight. If the risk associated with a medical limitation is only incurred by the tug pilot, we may consider this as his/her own responsibility and that he/she is able to determine whether this risk is acceptable. Within the context of a tow flight, the glider’s occupants may be exposed to a medical risk not managed through the combination.

The report concerning the accident to 03AEN on 11 September 2019 at Itxassou illustrates this safety topic. This report contains a safety recommendation to the FFVP  concerning the medical requirements for towing a glider with a microlight.

Three people were fatally injured in the occurrences mentioned.

5. Detecting obstacles

Taut cables (thin obstacles) represent a hazard for air navigation, especially in mountainous areas where there is a great deal of activity at low height or close to the terrain. The identification and marking of cables on aeronautical charts and FIS documentation (AIP ENR5) may not be precise or exhaustive enough.

Within the French Gliding Federation (FFVL), the Flight Sites and Airspaces committee has created a database, via a website www.parazones.com, which contains a non-exhaustive list of aerial obstacles but also flight sites, types of activities, danger zones and points of interest. The enrichment of this database relies on the active contribution of pilots. This free access site is open to all aeronautical stakeholders. The FLARM has a database of obstacles including cables that can be used to alert the pilot during flight. This database is available as an option (for a fee) for download to the FLARM.

The report concerning the accident to F-CAOT on 05 August 2020 at Dingy-Saint-Clair illustrates this safety topic.

Two people were injured in the occurrence mentioned.

Other reports published in 2021

• The accident to F-CHDJ on 21 May 2019 at Barcelonnette: partial deployment of speed brakes following a confusion between controls during approach, collision with a tree in last turn, collision with the ground.
• The accident to F-CIHH on 2 June 2020 at Ploërmel-Loyat: winch launch abort exercise at very low height, hard landing, in instruction.

Two people were seriously injured in the occurrences mentioned.