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20040401005962A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Glaser DG-400 · Oso, WA · April 1, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 1, 2004 · 17:00 local
Place
Oso, WA
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, second aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N400WJ
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA04LA063
Reported as
Glaser DG400
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
N400WJRegistration cancelled Sep 12, 2013 · Glaser-Dirks DG-400S/N 4-91 · Built 1984Airframe modelGlaser-Dirks DG-400Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) N161D departed awo at 1130 PST on a flight to the mountains east of awo. N400WJ departed awo at approximately 1600 PST. They met up near the three fingers peaks area and both gliders had established radio contact with each other. On the return flight to awo both gliders were flying the ridges at approximately 1,000 feet AGL. At approximately 1700 the gliders collided 3 miles south of Oso, Washington. The pilot of N161D stated N400WJ was flying in the lead position and then made a turn to the left while N161D continued straight ahead. The pilot of N161D was about to make a radio call to N400WJ when he heard, "paul watch out." The pilot of N161D looked back over his left shoulder and saw N400WJ approaching from behind on the left side at his altitude. N161D banked to the right and the left wing struck the rigt wing of N400WJ. The right wing of N400WJ separated in flight and N161D lost control. The pilot of N161D safely parachuted to the ground with minor injuries. The pilot of N400WJ was fatally injured when glider impacted ground.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N161D DEPARTED AWO AT 1130 PST ON A FLIGHT TO THE MOUNTAINS EAST OF AWO. N400WJ DEPARTED AWO AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 PST. THEY MET UP NEAR THE THREE FINGERS PEAKS AREA AND BOTH GLIDERS HAD ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. ON THE RETURN FLIGHT TO AWO BOTH GLIDERS WERE FLYING THE RIDGES AT APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET AGL. AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 THE GLIDERS COLLIDED 3 MILES SOUTH OF OSO, WASHINGTON. THE PILOT OF N161D STATED N400WJ WAS FLYING IN THE LEAD POSITION AND THEN MADE A TURN TO THE LEFT WHILE N161D CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE PILOT OF N161D WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A RADIO CALL TO N400WJ WHEN HE HEARD, "PAUL WATCH OUT." THE PILOT OF N161D LOOKED BACK OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER AND SAW N400WJ APPROACHING FROM BEHIND ON THE LEFT SIDE AT HIS ALTITUDE. N161D BANKED TO THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE RIGT WING OF N400WJ. THE RIGHT WING OF N400WJ SEPARATED IN FLIGHT AND N161D LOST CONTROL. THE PILOT OF N161D SAFELY PARACHUTED TO THE GROUND WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT OF N400WJ WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN GLIDER IMPACTED GROUND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA04LA063Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportOso, WAThe pilot of the Glaser-Dirks (lead glider) failure to maintain clearance from the Glasflugel (trailing glider) resulting in a mid-air collision while maneuvering.Apr 2, 2004 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N161DGlasfl LIBELLE201BAccident 20040401005961A · Substantial damage