# Accident 20160525008039A: Rolladen-Schneider Ohg LS3-A, Blairstown, NJ, May 25, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 25, 2016, 13:30 local time
- Place: Blairstown, NJ
- Airport: Blairstown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3100° N, 74.5625° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3100&lon=-74.5625&mi=10
- Aircraft: N63761, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N63761) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rolladen-Schneider OHG LS3-A (registry code 3801214, https://openairdocs.org/model/rolladen-schneider-ohg-ls3-a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER OHG LS3-A
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 225 total, 18 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA261) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160525008039A

## Narrative

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

PILOT DEPARTED IN GLIDER FROM BLAIRSTOWN AIRPORT (1N7),  BLAIRSTOWN, NJ AROUND 1300 LOCAL TIME. PILOT RELEASED THE TOW, CROSSED OVER (1N7), AND TURNED NORTH TO BEGIN A CROSS COUNTRY TO WURSTBORO AIRPORT (N82). UNABLE TO FIND ANY THERMALS ALONG THE RIDGELINE, THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO BLAIRSTOWN(1N7). THE GLIDER ENTERED AN AREA OF MODERATELY SINKING AIR. THE PILOT REALIZED HE COULD NOT MAKE BLAIRSTOWN AND HE DECIDED TO TRY LANDING OUT IN A FIELD. WHILE IN A LEFT BASE TO FINAL TURN, THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT WING HIT THE TREES, SPUN THE AIRCRAFT 270 DEGREES, AND DROPPED STRAIGHT DOWN APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET TO GROUND. THE RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED FIRST LEAVING A HOLE IN GROUND, FOLLOWED BY THE FUSELAGE PIVOTING AND DROPPING TO THE GROUND, LANDING LEVEL AND UPRIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST FACING A MAGNETIC HEADING OF 106 DEGREES. THE LOCATION WAS 5.4 NM NORTH EAST OF THE BLAIRSTOWN AIRPORT. THE ELEVATION WAS 940 FEET MSL. ALTHOUGH INJURED, THE PILOT CONTACTED ANOTHER GLIDER AND EXTRACTED HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE.

## 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 GAA16CA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA261), May 25, 2016: Rolladen-Schneider OHG LS3 (N63761), Blairstown, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees on final.

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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