# Accident 20110424006909A: Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO, Peoria, AZ, April 24, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 24, 2011, 15:24 local time
- Place: Peoria, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8006° N, 112.2506° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8006&lon=-112.2506&mi=10
- Aircraft: N110AZ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N110AZ-2011-07-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO (registry code 8501001, https://openairdocs.org/model/doktor-fiberglas-h101-salto) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOKTOR FIBERGLAS H101 SALTO
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR N/A GLIDER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,190 total, 5 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11CA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA208) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110424006909A

## Narrative

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

MR. BRUEKNER WAS TOWED TO 2500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND WAS RELEASED FOR SOARING. HE FOUND UPDRAFTS AND CLIMBED TO 9000 FEET MSL. MR. BRUEKNER ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES WEST OF LAKE PLEASANT. THIS DOWNDRAFT LASTED A FEW MOMENTS. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT (P48). MR. BRUEKNER THEN ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER SEVERE DOWNDRAFT PRODUCING SINK RATES OF UP TO 1200 FEET PER MINUTE. HE TRIED TO MAKE LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS, AND INCREASED INDICATED AIRSPEED (IAS) TO MINIMIZE TIME IN THE DOWNDRAFT. HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT, AND BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A SUITABLE LANDING SPOT. BEING EASTER SUNDAY, MR. BRUEKNER STATED THE HIGHWAYS WERE TOO CONGESTED TO LAND ON, AND THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN WAS MOUNTAINOUS. HE CHOSE TO LAND THE GLIDER ON THE LAKE.MR. BRUEKNER RECEIVED A COMPLETE SOARING BRIEFING FROM THE WEBSITE XC-SOAR.COM, INCLUDING THERMAL ACTIVITY. HE SAT DOWN WITH A GLIDER INSTRUCTOR AND REVIEWED HIS BRIEFING. HIS PREFLIGHT PLANNING SHOWED A CONCENTRIC CIRCLE (A SAFETY FACTOR CIRCLE OF GLIDE DISTANCE) THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO EASILY RETURN TO PLEASANT VALLEY, HAD HE NOT ENCOUNTERED THE DOWNDRAFT.

## 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 WPR11CA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA208), Apr 24, 2011: Doktor Fiberglas H101 Salto (N110AZ), Peoria, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The glider's encounter with turbulence and loss of lift, which resulted in a ditching in a lake.

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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