20170705015259A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Alexander Schleicher ASH 31 MI · Ely, NV · July 5, 2017

Date: July 5, 2017 · 11:00 local
Place: Ely, NV
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N31MX
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA17CA386
Reported as: Alexander Schleicher ASH 31 MI
Reported engine: Diamond AE50R
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,127 total360 in this make and model112 in the last 90 days

N31MXRegistration cancelled Feb 7, 2018 · Alexander Schleicher ASH 31 MIS/N 31003 · Built 2010 Airframe modelAlexander Schleicher ASH 31 MI Engine modelDiamond AE50R2 cycle

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.

The pilot had transitioned from powered flight to gliding mode, and was circling in lift.

The aircraft suddenly became divergent from what may have been rotor and severe turbulance and entered a stall spin condition. After applying corrections to stop the stall spin, the aircraft was diving at a high speed. The pilot felt the airframe futter, then quit. At that point in time, he elected to bail out.

The pilot has no idea why the aircraft entered the stall spin .

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT HAD TRANSITIONED FROM POWERED FLIGHT TO GLIDING MODE, AND WAS CIRCLING IN LIFT.

THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY BECAME DIVERGENT FROM WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN ROTOR AND SEVERE TURBULANCE AND ENTERED A STALL SPIN CONDITION. AFTER APPLYING CORRECTIONS TO STOP THE STALL SPIN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIVING AT A HIGH SPEED. THE PILOT FELT THE AIRFRAME FUTTER, THEN QUIT. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, HE ELECTED TO BAIL OUT.

THE PILOT HAS NO IDEA WHY THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE STALL SPIN .

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 GAA17CA386Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportEly, NVThe pilot’s failure to maintain the proper airspeed and his exceedance of the glider’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in a stall/spin.Jul 5, 2017 · Destroyed