Accident to the Lange Aviation Antares 20E registered HB-2417 on 22/07/2019 at La Javie (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)

The pilot made a self-launch take-off from Vinon aerodrome (Var) at about 12:55. He followed the Durance valley, and then headed north-east, slope soaring and making use of the thermal uplifts.

At about 14:15, he started performing spirals above the Blayeul mountain ridge. After a few spirals, he realised that he was too close to the terrain and that he could not make a turn to get clear. He managed to land on the east side of the terrain at an altitude of about 1,950 m.

The pilot was performing spirals in the thermals in close proximity to the terrain and at low airspeed. While performing these manoeuvres, he probably found himself on the leeside of the terrain and the glider suddenly lost altitude. As the glider was then below the ridge facing the terrain and flying at low speed, the pilot was unable to make a safe turn away. He therefore had to make an emergency landing on the slope and did not have time to deploy the landing gear.