What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 29, 2012 at 1530 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-27 sail plane, N127PC, registered to aerodonetice inc and operated by a private pilot, was destroyed when it impacted wooded terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering to land on runway 27 at the Ionia County Airport, (Y70). Visual meteorological conditions and gusty winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted during an ssa sanctioned contest under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The local flight originated from the Ionia County Airport at approximately 1413.according to a contest official, the pilot was approaching to land and was low, below 400 ft AGL, when it began a steep left turn, the left wing dropped, the glider stalled and nosed over into the trees. This was confirmed by several other witnesses. All major airframe components were located and identified. Flight control continuity was established. A flight data recorder and two GPS trackers were recovered and sent to the NTSB for evaluation. Weather report from Y70 airport at 1933 UTC was: wind 290 degrees at 21KNOTS gust to 26 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear and altimeter 2977.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 29, 2012 AT 1530 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A SCHLEICHER ASW-27 SAIL PLANE, N127PC, REGISTERED TO AERODONETICE INC AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED WOODED TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27 AT THE IONIA COUNTY AIRPORT, (Y70). VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND GUSTY WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED DURING AN SSA SANCTIONED CONTEST UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE IONIA COUNTY AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1413.ACCORDING TO A CONTEST OFFICIAL, THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING TO LAND AND WAS LOW, BELOW 400 FT AGL, WHEN IT BEGAN A STEEP LEFT TURN, THE LEFT WING DROPPED, THE GLIDER STALLED AND NOSED OVER INTO THE TREES. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY SEVERAL OTHER WITNESSES.ALL MAJOR AIRFRAME COMPONENTS WERE LOCATED AND IDENTIFIED. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED. A FLIGHT DATA RECORDER AND TWO GPS TRACKERS WERE RECOVERED AND SENT TO THE NTSB FOR EVALUATION. WEATHER REPORT FROM Y70 AIRPORT AT 1933 UTC WAS: WIND 290 DEGREES AT 21KNOTS GUST TO 26 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, CLEAR AND ALTIMETER 2977.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.