20130913022199A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 · Sussex, NJ · September 13, 2013

Date: September 13, 2013 · 15:15 local
Place: Sussex, NJ
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N650DP
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA13CA420
Reported as: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 898 total76 in this make and model29 in the last 90 days

N650DPRegistered now · Rolladen-Schneider LS-6S/N 6054 Airframe modelRolladen-Schneider LS-6

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.

Aircraft departed blairstown airport (1N7), and was ridge soaring for 4 hours. Glider got low on ridge. Pilot decided to leave ridge and head for a known airport which was 8 miles away. 3 miles from airport, pilot was unable to make airport and elected to set down in a landable field. Upon turning base, a gust of wind caused the glider to impact the trees and turned the aircraft an additional 90 degrees. Aircraft impacted ground. Pilot received minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BLAIRSTOWN AIRPORT (1N7), AND WAS RIDGE SOARING FOR 4 HOURS. GLIDER GOT LOW ON RIDGE. PILOT DECIDED TO LEAVE RIDGE AND HEAD FOR A KNOWN AIRPORT WHICH WAS 8 MILES AWAY. 3 MILES FROM AIRPORT, PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE AIRPORT AND ELECTED TO SET DOWN IN A LANDABLE FIELD. UPON TURNING BASE, A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE GLIDER TO IMPACT THE TREES AND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT AN ADDITIONAL 90 DEGREES. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND. PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

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 ERA13CA420Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSussex, NJThe pilot's improper selection of an off-airport landing site, and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees during a crosswind landing in gusty wind conditions.Sep 13, 2013 · Substantial damage