20120624012789A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Dg-Flugzeugbau DG-500MB · Richland, WA · June 24, 2012

Date: June 24, 2012 · 15:05 local
Place: Richland, WA
Airport: Richland
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N505JL
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12CA288
Reported as: Dg-Flugzeugbau DG-500MB
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,304 total175 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N505JLRegistered now · Dg-Flugzeugbau DG-500MBS/N 5E-187B3 · Built 1999 Airframe modelDg-Flugzeugbau DG-500MB Engine 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.

privacy data omitted Was completing his 90 day currency in the motor glider and on his final approach to runway 26 with the engine stowed at Richland, WA (rld) thought his altiude was a bit low and tried to move the spoiler lever to retract the spoilers, but the aircraft did not respond to his control input. He landed on a set of railroad tracks, bounced over them and into a ravine just before a second set of rr tracks, on the approach end of runway 26 at rld. Aircraft damaged at landing gear box,empennage broke off, right wing damage.

As the FAA filed it

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS COMPLETING HIS 90 DAY CURRENCY IN THE MOTOR GLIDER AND ON HIS FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26 WITH THE ENGINE STOWED AT RICHLAND, WA (RLD) THOUGHT HIS ALTIUDE WAS A BIT LOW AND TRIED TO MOVE THE SPOILER LEVER TO RETRACT THE SPOILERS, BUT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS CONTROL INPUT. HE LANDED ON A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS, BOUNCED OVER THEM AND INTO A RAVINE JUST BEFORE A SECOND SET OF RR TRACKS, ON THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 26 AT RLD. AIRCRAFT DAMAGED AT LANDING GEAR BOX,EMPENNAGE BROKE OFF, RIGHT WING DAMAGE.

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 WPR12CA288Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportRichland, WAThe failure of the spoilers to retract because the right wing spoiler’s lower plate became jammed, which resulted in the glider not having enough lift to make it to the runway surface.Jun 24, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N505JL · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20020728019099INormal Cruise · Richland, WA(-23) This aircraft is a motorized glider. The engine assembly is raised and lowered by a motorized linear. The jackscrew of the actuator failed and allowed the engine assembly and propeller to make an abrupt and uncommanded retraction while the aircraft was…Jul 28, 2002 · Minor damage