20110715024199A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Slingsby CAPSTAN TYPE 49B · Hollywood, MD · July 15, 2011

Date: July 15, 2011 · 15:30 local
Place: Hollywood, MD
Airport: St. Mary'S County Regn
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7475
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA11FA401
Reported as: Slingsby Capstan Type 49B
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N7475Registration cancelled Jan 8, 2018 · Slingsby CAPSTAN TYPE 49BS/N 1664 · Built 1968 Airframe modelSlingsby CAPSTAN TYPE 49B Engine modelNONENone

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.

Glider initiated a take-off with spoilers deployed in the extended position. Tow aircraft pilot noticed poor climb performance of his aircraft and observed spoilers extended on the glider. Tow pilot signaled to the glider pilot to check spoilers. Glider pilot misinterpreted the signal for a signal to release and released the glider from the cable. The glider pilot sought to perform an emergency landing with spoilers still deployed, struck a tree and was destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

GLIDER INITIATED A TAKE-OFF WITH SPOILERS DEPLOYED IN THE EXTENDED POSITION. TOW AIRCRAFT PILOT NOTICED POOR CLIMB PERFORMANCE OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND OBSERVED SPOILERS EXTENDED ON THE GLIDER. TOW PILOT SIGNALED TO THE GLIDER PILOT TO CHECK SPOILERS. GLIDER PILOT MISINTERPRETED THE SIGNAL FOR A SIGNAL TO RELEASE AND RELEASED THE GLIDER FROM THE CABLE. THE GLIDER PILOT SOUGHT TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING WITH SPOILERS STILL DEPLOYED, STRUCK A TREE AND WAS DESTROYED.

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 ERA11FA401Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportHollywood, MDThe glider pilot’s improper response to the “check spoilers” signal from the tow pilot. Contributing to the accident was the glider pilot’s failure to confirm that the spoilers were closed and locked before takeoff, and the glider copilot’s improper crew…Jul 15, 2011 · Substantial damage