# Accident 20150405006059A: Schleicher ASW-27, Reno, NV, April 5, 2015 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 5, 2015, 14:24 local time - Place: Reno, NV - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.5256° N, 119.8094° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5256&lon=-119.8094&mi=10 - Aircraft: N27QV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27QV-2018-03-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Schleicher ASW-27 (registry code 3801501, https://openairdocs.org/model/schleicher-asw-27) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCHLEICHER ASW-27 - Reported engine: NONE NONE - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 20,000 total, 117 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR15LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA142) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150405006059A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. INSPECTOR CHEEK AND THE REPORTING INSPECTOR MET WITH ^ROBERT SPIELMAN^ AT HIS HOME ON 4/13/15. THE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED TO DESCRIBE THE EVENTS OF ACCIDENT OF N27QV ON 4/5/2015; ON FRIDAY APRIL 3, 2015 ^MR SPIELMAN^ STATED HE ASSEMBLED HIS ASW 27 N27QV AT MINDEN, NV AIRPORT. AFTER ASSEMBLY ^MR. SPIELMAN^ FRIENDS HELPED HIM ACCOMPLISH A POSITIVE CONTROL CHECK TO MAKE SURE ALL CONNECTIONS WERE PROPER AND READY FOR FLIGHT. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ CHECKED THAT THE OXYGEN WAS FULL. ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 5TH ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT TO FLY HIS BIGGEST FLIGHT IN HIS ASW 27, AIMING FOR 12 HOURS. HIS LONGEST FLIGHT WAS 11 HOURS IN 2014. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE WAS THE 3RD GLIDER TO LAUNCH AT MEV ABOUT 7:20 ON 4/5/15. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE FIRST WENT NORTH TO STEAD AND TURNED BACK BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY CLOUDS AND I FLEW SOUTH TO MAMMOTH AIRPORT AND THEN WENT NORTH PAST RENO ALMOST TO SUSANVILLE. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE IT WAS FAIRLY CLOUDY BUT WITH GAPS AND ONCE HE GOT TOO FAR DOWNWIND SO IT WAS SLOW GOING. AS HE WAS PASSING THE SOUTHWEST EDGE OF RENO HE WENT BETWEEN 2 CLOUDS. THE GAP WAS WIDE ENOUGH THAT HE COULD SEE ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE WAS AT 14000'. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE NOTICED MOISTURE COMING UP FROM ROTOR BELOW WHICH FILLED IN THE GAP SUDDENLY. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE SHOULD HAVE HAD AN ATTITUDE INDICATOR. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE TRIED TO FLY MY GARMIN BUT IT WAS SO ROUGH WITH TURBULENCE THAT THINGS WENT TO HELL IN A HURRY. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE FELT A STALL AND THEN THE AIRSPEED INCREASED QUICKLY THROUGH 160K AND ^MR. SPIELMAN^ HEARD 2 POPS AND THE CANOPY BROKE. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE LOOKED TO MY LEFT AND NOTICED THE LEFT WING WAS GONE. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE DIDN'T LOOK TO THE RIGHT. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE CAME OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLOUDS WHILE STILL IN THE AIRCRAFT IN A SLOW SPIN AT MAYBE 9-10000' AND HE NOTED THERE WAS A LOT OF WIND IN THE COCKPIT. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE UNLOCKED THE EMERGENCY CANOPY RELEASE AND LIFTED THE CANOPY UP, AND HE OPENED HIS HARNESS AND IT WAS EASY TO EXIT OVER THE SIDE. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE SAW STUFF FLYING THRU THE AIR (2 NANOS, HAND HELD RADIO. LUNCH ETC.) AND HE WAS FALLING WITH HIS SHOULDERS DOWN AND SAW THE FUSELAGE GOING DOWN ABOUT 100 YARDS BELOW HIM. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING HIS PARACHUTE RIP CORD AND THOUGHT IT WAS GONE BUT HE LOOKED LOWER, LOCATED IT, PULLED AND IT JERKED HIM UPRIGHT. ^ MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE IT WASN'T A VERY LONG RIDE DOWN, ABOUT 5 MINUTES. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ LANDED ON THE ST. MARY HOSPITAL PARKING GARAGE ROOF TOP LIGHT POLE. ^MR. SPIELMAN^ STATED HE WAS ON THE LIGHT POLE ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN SEVERAL RENO POLICE ARRIVED AND HELPED HIM DOWN FROM THE POLE. ## 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 WPR15LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA142), Apr 5, 2015: Schleicher ASW 27 (N27QV), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The glider's encounter with severe turbulent atmospheric conditions after the pilot inadvertently entered clouds, which led to his inability to maintain a proper airspeed and the subsequent in-flight… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.