Accident to the SCHEMPP HIRTH Discus T registered D-KZHS on 22/07/24 at Crots

This is a courtesy translation by the BEA of the Final Report on the Safety Investigation. As accurate as the translation may be, the original text in French is the work of reference.

Note: the following information is principally based on the pilots’ statements. This information has not been independently validated by the BEA.

1. HISTORY OF THE FLIGHT

The pilot in training took off accompanied by an instructor, the owner of the glider. He headed east to practice slope soaring in the region. The pilot in training experienced difficulties in finding lifts. The instructor took the controls. Between Mont Guillaume and Le Sauze-sur-Lac, the latter, despite using the sustainer engine, was unable to gain altitude and leave the mountainous region. He decided to land on Crots microlight strip. He opted to land with a tailwind component on runway 06 in order to avoid the mounds of stones and gravel from the quarry situated to the east of the strip. After a first pass overhead the strip, he kept the glider high on final in order not to strike the  kites and lines of the kiteboarders present to the west on the Lac de Serre-Ponçon. The speed at landing was high. The glider bounced and rose a metre in height before touching down again mid-runway. It ran over the end of the runway and struck the boundary bank at the east of the strip.

2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

2.1 Meteorological information

 According to the pilots, the meteorological conditions  locally and on their route were CAVOK with a south-westerly wind of 5 to 10 knots and a temperature of around 30 °C.

2.2 Strip information

The dirt runway 06-24 of Crots microlight strip  measures 400 m long and 40 m wide. Preference is to be given to runway 24. This strip is listed as a safe landing area in the guide produced by FFVP . A large kiteboarder activity to the west of the runway is indicated in the guide.

2.3 Owner pilot statement

The 54-year-old owner pilot held a sailplane instructor licence (SPL FI) obtained in 2014 and a sailplane pilot licence (SPL) obtained in 2010. He had logged nearly 1,679 glider flight hours, including 19 hours in the previous 30 days, all on the same glider. He was used to training other pilots in this region which he was familiar with.

He indicated that during the slope soaring flight, it was difficult to use the lifts despite the use of the engine. He explained that Crots microlight strip was accessible as was a listed field in Prunières.

He specified that he had preferred Crots strip which he had inspected on foot that year, unlike the field in Prunières.

He had estimated during a flight made the previous day, that the gravel mounds to the north-east of the strip were around 15 m high. He explained that as a consequence, he chose to land with a tailwind on runway 06.

He explained that he had focused all his attention on the kiteboarders on final and took a high approach slope so as not to touch them. He indicated that he had not monitored the speed. He thought that this was excessive during the landing. He specified that hard braking after the bounce was not sufficiently effective to stop the runway excursion and collision with the bank.

2.4 Pilot in training statement

The 35-year-old pilot in training held a sailplane pilot licence (SPL) obtained in 2012. He had logged more than 413 glider flight hours, including 10 hours in the previous 30 days, of which 8 hours on type. This flight was carried out in the scope of mountain flight training including familiarization with the region and listed safe landing areas.

He indicated that the kiteboarders were on the axis of runway 06, which required them to stay above the usual approach slope. He specified that both he and the owner were aware that the height of the glider on landing combined with the tailwind component, meant that they might not be able to stop before the end of the runway.
 

August 2025