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| Date: | Sunday 18 May 2025 |
| Time: | c. 16:25 LT |
| Type: | Jonker JS-3 18m |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | D-KASJ |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Graui Felse, near Lenk im Simmental, Mittaghorn, Bernese Alps -
 Switzerland
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Grenchen Airport (ZHI/LSZG) |
| Grenchen Airport (ZHI/LSZG) | |
| Investigating agency: | STSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The pilot involved in the accident was participating in the Swiss Gliding Championship, held at Grenchen Airport (LSZG), in the mixed open class with his JS-MD 3 glider (glider A). On the second day of the competition, a speed task with six turning points over a distance of approximately 420 km had to be completed. Turnpoints 2 to 4 were located in the valley of Valais. After crossing the start line, the pilot flew the same route as another glider pilot (glider B), with one pilot leading at times and the other at other times. The distance between the two gliders and
the differences in altitude up to the accident site were never significant. When circling the fourth turning point, which was located approximately 4 km north of Sion Airport (LSGS), the two pilots had already covered a distance of over 320 km at an average speed of over 110 km/h. At 14:09:15 UTC, about 1.5 km south-west of the Rawil Pass, glider A was flying around 500 m behind glider B and 165 m lower at an IAS of around 150 km/h and in a north-easterly direction. One minute later, glider A struck rising terrain, colliding with a rock on its left wing. After
approximately another 50 m, the glider struck the ground a second time and came to a halt after a few metres. The last data point was recorded at 14:10:15 UTC. The pilot was able to trigger his own rescue via the Rega app at 14:19 UTC and was subsequently flown to the Inselspital for medical examination. The glider was severely damaged by the impact; no aviation fuel leaked. No ELT signal could be received.
Sources:
https://www.20min.ch/story/lenk-im-simmental-be-segelflugzeug-abgestuerzt-pilot-ueberlebt-103347845
https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/pilot-verletzt-sich-nach-segelflugzeugabsturz-in-lenk-im-simmental/89343700
https://www.msn.com/de-ch/nachrichten/schweiz/unfall-bei-lenk-be-segelflugzeug-st%C3%BCrzt-ab-pilot-verletzt/ar-AA1F2wbN?ocid=BingNewsSerp
https://www.police.be.ch/de/start.html?newsID=f93dc2ac-b040-4d74-b153-51ee5292dab6
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-May-2025 06:17 | Tom | Added |
| 21-May-2025 13:54 | Franky | Updated [Destination airport, Source, ] |
| 21-May-2025 15:25 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 27-May-2025 07:39 | Anon. | Updated [Source, ] |
| 15-Aug-2025 07:06 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, ] |
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