20080809844681A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Sphrth VENTUS2A · Uvalde, TX · August 9, 2008

Date: August 9, 2008 · 15:00 local
Place: Uvalde, TX
Airport: Garner Field
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N777UN
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN08LA137
Reported as: Sphrth VENTUS2A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,500 total1,100 in this make and model80 in the last 90 days

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) N777UN and N110RG had a midair collision. The wing tip on N777UN cut into the wing on N110RG, causing part of the lower skin to separate from the wing. The separated wing skin stayed attached to the wing, by a cable connecting the aileron and spoileron. This caused the ailerons to malfunction and the loss of control of the glider. The pilot exited the glider and the glider continued an uncontrolled descent, until coming into contact with the ground. The pilot of N777UN was able to fly to and safely land at the Uvalde, TX airport.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N777UN AND N110RG HAD A MIDAIR COLLISION. THE WING TIP ON N777UN CUT INTO THE WING ON N110RG, CAUSING PART OF THE LOWER SKIN TO SEPARATE FROM THE WING. THE SEPARATED WING SKIN STAYED ATTACHED TO THE WING, BY A CABLE CONNECTING THE AILERON AND SPOILERON. THIS CAUSED THE AILERONS TO MALFUNCTION AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. THE PILOT EXITED THE GLIDER AND THE GLIDER CONTINUED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, UNTIL COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT OF N777UN WAS ABLE TO FLY TO AND SAFELY LAND AT THE UVALDE, TX AIRPORT.

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 DEN08LA137Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBrackettville, TXThe failure of the pilot of N777UN to exit the thermal upon losing visual contact with the other gliders, resulting in a midair collision.Aug 9, 2008 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage