# Accident 20140606007939A: Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS 3/24.5, Wallis, TX, June 6, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 6, 2014, 14:06 local time
- Place: Wallis, TX
- Airport: Ghsa-Wallis Glideport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.6133° N, 96.0278° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6133&lon=-96.0278&mi=10
- Aircraft: N245AB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N245AB-2018-02-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS 3/24.5 (registry code 3801960, https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-nimbus-3-24-5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHEMPP-HIRTH NIMBUS 3/24.5
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,782 total, 477 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14CA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA280) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140606007939A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JUNE 9, 2014, THE REPORTING INSPECTOR RECEIVED AN ELECTRONIC MAIL (EMAIL) FROM THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) NOTIFYING ABOUT A GLIDER ACCIDENT. THE EMAIL CONTAINED A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE EVENT AND THE PILOT?S TELEPHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS. ON JUNE 10, 2014, THE REPORTING INSPECTOR CONTACTED THE PILOT BY PHONE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PILOT?S STATEMENT, ON JUNE 6, 2014, ANOTHER AIRCRAFT GAVE HIM A TOW STARTING AT 2:06 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME. WIND CONDITION WAS DOWN THE RUNWAY 18 AT 8KNOTS, 10+ MILES VISIBILITY AND SOARABLE SKY. BEFORE THE TOW BEGAN HE WENT OVER THE PROCEDURE FOR NO ASSIST LAUNCH WITH THE TOWING AIRCRAFT PILOT. PILOT INDICATED THAT AFTER COMPLETING THE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST HE GAVE THE TOWING AIRCRAFT PILOT A SIGNAL INDICATING HE WAS READY. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PILOT THE TAKEOFF PRECEDED NOMINALLY, WINGS LEVEL, AILERON AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED AND GAINING SPEED. PILOT STATED: ?JUST BROKE GROUND AND NOTICED THE TOW PLANE MOVING LATERALLY TO THE EAST (STRONG GUST OR THERMAL)?. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE TOWING AIRCRAFT CORRECTED AND WHEN HE WAS READY FOR THE SAME, THE GLIDER WAS LIFTED ABOUT 8 FEET AND THE LEFT WING CONTINUED TO RISE. HE INDICATED THAT HE COULD STILL SEE THE TOW AIRCRAFT AND IMMEDIATELY APPLIED LEFT FULL AILERON AND RUDDER. HE ADDED FORWARD PRESSURE TO THE STICK IN ORDER TO GET BACK INTO POSITION. THE LEFT WING CONTINUED TO RISE AND THE TOW ROPE WAS RELEASED AS THE RIGHT TURN CONTINUED TO ABOUT 30 DEGREES. THE RIGHT TURN STOPPED, STABILIZED AND WAS BEGINNING TO MOVE BACK TOWARDS THE TOW AIRCRAFT. AS RECOVERY STARTED THE GLIDER EXITED THE AREA CAUSING AN ABRUPT GAIN IN HEIGHT AND RIGHT TURN AND SANK QUICKLY, STRIKING THE GROUND HARD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT HAD NO INJURIES. REVIEW OF THE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE CANOPY WAS DESTROYED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND EMPENNAGE RIPPED OFF, DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL FIN, RUDDER, HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN14CA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA280), Jun 6, 2014: Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 3/24.5 (N245AB), Wallis, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the glider during takeoff in gusty wind conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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