Serious incident Robin DR.400/180R HB-KBP,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 238841
 
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Date:Thursday 19 March 2020
Time:10:23 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic DR40 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Robin DR.400/180R
Owner/operator:Segelfluggruppe Oberaargau
Registration: HB-KBP
MSN: 1769
Year of manufacture:1987
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Serious incident
Location:Langenthal Airfield (LSPL) -   Switzerland
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Langenthal Airfield (LSPL)
Destination airport:Langenthal Airfield (LSPL)
Investigating agency: STSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
After a touch-and-go in Grenchen (LSZG), the pilot of an experimental Votec 322 aircraft (HB-YLC), was in a climb back to Langenthal Airfield (LSPL). After flying over the reporting point Sierra and passing over the two towns of Kirchberg and Wangen a. A., the pilot reported about ten minutes later on the airfield frequency in the northern sector of the airfield at an altitude of about 3100 ft AMSL.
At about 11:10 a.m. the pilot of the Robin DR.400/180R (HB-KBP), took off from Langenthal (LSPL) airfield on runway 23 with the glider HB-3429 on tow. After take-off the flight led towards the Jura up to a towing altitude of about 4700 ft AMSL, where the glider was released. The pilot then flew back towards Langenthal and intended to approach the airfield from the north via a right cross approach (base) to runway 23, as is done within the glider group for noise abatement reasons. Before crossing the village of Bützberg, the pilot reported on the airfield frequency and sent a blind message. During the overflight of the airfield at about 3000 ft AMSL, the pilot of HB-YLC saw a Robin on the taxiway and a glider standing on the ground next to the runway and assumed that the alleged towing would wait until after landing.
He again gave a position report, which was noticed by the pilot of HB-KBP, turned into the left downwind leg and descended slightly by about 150 ft.
Thereupon the HB-KBP pilot reported again with the words "Schloss Thunstetten, right hand base 23" to announce his intention on the airfield frequency. The altitude of HB-KBP was about 2400 ft AMSL. When turning into the final approach he saw the Votec 322 turning into the left hand base of runway 23 higher than usual for most aircraft. The pilot of HB-YLC turned to about 2900 ft AMSL for the final approach and reduced the engine power to idle for a side slip to the left without power (slip power-off approach).
Assuming that the pilot of the Votec 322 had seen it and would continue flying towards the Jura, the pilot of the HB-KBP continued the final approach to runway 23 and reduced the speed for landing to about 100 km/h.
When he initiated the flare about 200 m before the runway, the faster approaching HB-YLC flew over him and touched down on the landing threshold of runway 23 in front of him. The pilot of HB-KBP felt the influence of the tip vortices of the overtaking Votec, gave full throttle and initiated a go-around. The smallest distance between the two aircraft was at 11:23:33, about 80 m horizontally and 10 m vertically. After a traffic circuit over the left downwind, the landing on runway 23 took place without further incidents.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: STSB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

STSB

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
30-Jul-2020 17:30 harro Added
31-Aug-2020 08:59 harro Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Accident report, ]
31-Aug-2020 09:01 harro Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ]
31-Aug-2020 09:02 harro Updated [Cn, Narrative, Accident report, ]

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