What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 22, 2013, at approximately 2319Z, the pilot of N77TV, a Schleicher ASW-15 glider failed to maintain the airspeed of his glider during approach to landing at Navasota municipal airport (60R). He was conducting a pleasure flight under 14 CFR part 91. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were VMC and light winds from the south. The pilot stated while on the base leg for landing he allowed the glider to slow to 45 miles per hour, and he said he should have maintained 50 miles per hour, at an altitude of 500 feet above ground level. When the pilot deployed the wing spoilers the glider immediately stalled and spun into the ground at an almost vertical angle.
The glider cartwheeled upon impact destroying the cockpit forward of the pilot?s seat and both wings. The pilot sustained a compound fracture of the left ankle and a fractured left wrist. The registration was current, the airworthiness certificate was not located at the scene due to the extensive damage to the cockpit area. The aircraft logbooks revealed the last annual was completed on April 13, 2013 and the aircraft tt was 1493.7 at that time. There were no indications of mechanical issues prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 22, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 2319Z, THE PILOT OF N77TV, A SCHLEICHER ASW-15 GLIDER FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE AIRSPEED OF HIS GLIDER DURING APPROACH TO LANDING AT NAVASOTA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (60R). HE WAS CONDUCTING A PLEASURE FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE VMC AND LIGHT WINDS FROM THE SOUTH. THE PILOT STATED WHILE ON THE BASE LEG FOR LANDING HE ALLOWED THE GLIDER TO SLOW TO 45 MILES PER HOUR, AND HE SAID HE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED 50 MILES PER HOUR, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. WHEN THE PILOT DEPLOYED THE WING SPOILERS THE GLIDER IMMEDIATELY STALLED AND SPUN INTO THE GROUND AT AN ALMOST VERTICAL ANGLE.
THE GLIDER CARTWHEELED UPON IMPACT DESTROYING THE COCKPIT FORWARD OF THE PILOT?S SEAT AND BOTH WINGS. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A COMPOUND FRACTURE OF THE LEFT ANKLE AND A FRACTURED LEFT WRIST. THE REGISTRATION WAS CURRENT, THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WAS NOT LOCATED AT THE SCENE DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE COCKPIT AREA. THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS REVEALED THE LAST ANNUAL WAS COMPLETED ON APRIL 13, 2013 AND THE AIRCRAFT TT WAS 1493.7 AT THAT TIME. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF MECHANICAL ISSUES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.