Accident to the Rolladen Schneider LS6 registered D-6423 on 27/06/2021 at Aubenasson

The pilot carried out a flight bound for Aubenasson aerodrome, where he was going to land for the first time. The wind conditions were probably turbulent on arrival. At the end of the downwind leg, as he arrived abeam the runway threshold at a height of 290 m, the pilot initiated a U-shaped approach. He set the flap lever to the first detent and the air brakes to the intermediate position. As he approached the runway centreline, the pilot felt he was too high on the slope and that his rate of descent was not sufficient. He then pulled the air brake control all the way to extend them, then immediately set the flap control to the “L” detent position. This flap position fully deployed the air brakes. The impact on the slope proved to be more effective than expected, and the glider passed below the approach slope. The pilot then fully retracted the air brakes. Despite this input, the pilot was unable to reach the runway and the glider collided with the ground. It is possible that an aerological phenomenon also contributed to the pilot’s failure to reach the runway.