# Accident 19980611013239A: Rolsch LS6, Green River, UT, June 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 1998, 12:15 local time
- Place: Green River, UT
- Airport: Green River Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9801° N, 110.6500° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9801&lon=-110.6500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N511M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N511M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 (registry code 3801260, https://openairdocs.org/model/rolladen-schneider-ls-6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROLSCH LS6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 910 total, 480 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980611013239A

## Narrative

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

RELEASED TOW 600FT CIRCLED. NO THERMALS. HIGH SINK. LEFT WING HIT GROUND. GLIDER CARTWHEELED. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE CO-OWNER OF THE GLIDER, THE PILOT WAS GIVEN AN AUTO-TOW LAUNCH FROM THE RUNWAY AND HE BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT RELEASED AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AGL.  THE CO-OWNER OBSERVED THE GLIDER CIRCLING SOUTHWEST OF THE RUNWAY, BUT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED 'HEAVY SINK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOW RELEASE.'  THE CO-OWNER FURTHER OBSERVED THE GLIDER FLY OVER THE RUNWAY, BUT 'WAS TOO HIGH TOO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD.'  THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT 'HE TURNED LEFT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY AND THE GLIDER BEGAN TO ROTATE LEFT.'  THE PILOT SAID THAT HE 'GOT THE RIGHT RUDDER IN AND THE ROTATION STOPPED WITHIN 90 DEGREES.'  THE CO-OWNER STATED THAT 'AN APPARENT WIND GUST FROM ABOVE OR BEHIND CAUSED THE GLIDER TO NOSE DOWN.'  THE PILOT STATED THAT 'JUST AS THE ROTATION STOPPED, THE LEFT WING TIP IMPACTED THE GROUND.'                                       (-23)PILOT EXPERIENCED SEVERE DOWN DRAFT AND LOST CONTROL IN GLIDER SHORTLY AFTER RELEASE FROM A GROUND-TWO LAUNCH ORIGINATING FROM GREEN RIVER MUNI A                                                        IRPORT (U34). GLIDER INPACTED GROUND LEFT WING LOW AND PIVOTED AROUND THAT WING TIP CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY TO THE PILOT.  WINDS CALM, VMC CONDITIONS.

## 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 FTW98LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA262), Jun 11, 1998: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6A (N511M), Green River, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed. Factor's were the unforecasted weather (tail wind) and the inadvertent stall/spin.

## Other reports on N511M (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19900219002269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900219002269A), Feb 19, 1990: Rolsch LS6 (N511M), Cabins, WV, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. Off airport landing. Struck powerline and crashed. Powerline sliced into canopy.

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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