Date:	Friday 23 August 2024
Time:	c. 15:50 LT
Type:	Schempp-Hirth Arcus M
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	OE-9485
MSN:	96
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Chistehorn, Niedergesteln, VS -   Switzerland
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Birrfeld Airfield (LSZF)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	STSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Schempp-Hirth Arcus M glider crashed below the Chistehorn mountain near Niedergesteln, Valais.
Two men, aged 72 and 46, perished and the powered glider was destroyed.


Cause:
The accident, in which the glider went into an almost vertical spiral dive from a low altitude above the terrain, was due to a loss of control as a result of exceeding the critical angle of attack, at which point the collision with the terrain could no longer be prevented.
The centre of gravity, which may have been at the rear, contributed to the accident.

Nearest weather:
METAR LSGS 231320Z 25007KT 210V360 9999 FEW120 29/16 Q1014
METAR LSGS 231350Z 25008KT 200V270 9999 FEW120 29/16 Q1014
METAR LSGS 231420Z 25009KT 230V290 9999 FEW120 29/15 Q1014

https://www.msn.com/de-ch/nachrichten/schweiz/unterhalb-des-chistehorns-zwei-tote-bei-segelflugzeug-absturz-im-wallis/ar-AA1pmwsU#fullscreen
https://www.20min.ch/story/chistehorn-zwei-menschen-sterben-bei-segelflugzeug-absturz-103173770
https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/kanton-aargau/flugunfall-sie-waren-im-aargau-gestartet-zwei-tote-bei-absturz-von-segelflugzeug-im-wallis-ld.2659866

https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/OE-9485

https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/24445_1570916922.jpg (photo)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Aug-2024 20:02	Swissreporter	Added
24-Aug-2024 20:26	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
25-Aug-2024 05:30	Anon.	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
25-Aug-2024 05:32	ASN	Updated [Aircraft type, ]
25-Aug-2024 06:05	RobertMB	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
25-Aug-2024 16:36	Captain Adam	Updated [Phase, Narrative, ]
25-Aug-2024 17:42	RobertMB	Updated [Phase, Narrative, ]
25-Aug-2024 17:56	Swissreporter	Updated [Destination airport, ]
06-Sep-2024 13:57	ASN	Updated [Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ]
01-Sep-2025 09:15	ASN	Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ]