# Accident 19970411005779A: Glaser DG300, Minden, NV, April 11, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 1997
- Place: Minden, NV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0100° N, 119.7508° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0100&lon=-119.7508&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70644, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70644-1998-02-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Glaser Dirks DG 300 (registry code 3802509, https://openairdocs.org/model/glaser-dirks-dg-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GLASER DG300
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 175 total, 1 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97FA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA156) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970411005779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

GLIDER CRASHED IN THE MOUNTAINS. (.4) THE PILOT HAD 30 HRS OF TOTAL GLIDER EXPERIENCE & WAS ON HIS 1ST FLIGHT IN A GLASER-DIRKS DG-300 (A EUROPEAN, SINGLE PLACE, PRODUCTION GLIDER). HE HAD BEEN INACTIVE IN GLIDERS FOR A YEAR & HAD RECEIVED 5 HRS OF RECURRENCY TRAINING IN GROB 102 & 103 GLIDERS DURING THE PREVIOUS 5 DAYS. HIS LOGBOOK CONTAINED AN ENTRY FOR THE PREVIOUS DAY'S SOLO FLIGHT IN A GROB 102, WHICH STATED 'STEEP TURNS AND STALLS.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER CRASHED ON ROLLING TERRAIN IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE WITHOUT APPRECIABLE FORWARD MOTION. DURING IMPACT, THE NOSE WAS CRUSHED & THE FUSELAGE FAILED ABOUT 3 FT AFT OF THE COCKPIT. THE AFT FUSELAGE & EMPENNAGE WERE FOUND LYING INVERTED OVER THE LEFT WING. THE CANOPY JETTISON CONTROL WAS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN PULLED (RELEASED), & THERE WERE IMPACT MARKS ON THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LEADING EDGE AT LOCATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE CANOPY FRAME DIMENSIONS. PLEXIGLAS FROM THE CANOPY WAS FOUND UP TO 300 YDS AWAY. THE PILOT WAS FOUND SEATED UPRIGHT IN THE COCKPIT WITH HIS PARACHUTE ON & HIS SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM FASTENED. DESPITE SEVERE LACERATIONS DUE TO GROUND IMPACT, THERE WAS NO BLOOD APPAR                                          ENT ANYWHERE ON THE PILOT'S FACE. HOWEVER, A LARGE CONTUSION (BRUISE) WAS FOUND ACROSS THE PILOT'S FOREHEAD, APPARENTLY SUSTAINED BEFORE GROUND IMPACT, WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH IMPACT WITH THE JETTISONED CANOPY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97FA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA156), Apr 11, 1997: Glaser-Dirks DG-300 (N70644), Minden, NV, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: loss of aircraft control for undetermined reason(s), inadequate design of the canopy jettison system, and incapacitation of the pilot, when he was struck by the canopy frame during a jettison…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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