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20230120000389A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Eiriavion PIK 20D · Benton, TN · January 20, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 20, 2023 · 14:30 local
Place
Benton, TN
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1NZ
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23LA115
Reported as
Eiriavion PIK 20D
Reported engine
NONE NONE
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
26,300 total50 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days
N1NZRegistration cancelled Jan 9, 2024 · Eiriavion PIK 20DS/N 20607 · Built 1978Airframe modelEiriavion PIK 20DEngine modelNONENone

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.

On January 20th, 2023, at 1:03 EST, the PIC ofprivacy data omitted departed chilhowee gliderport to fly along the ridge line within the area of Benton, TN. The PIC stated he felt it was "a good ridge day to fly and felt it was a safe day to go flying." The PIC had a normal takeoff from chilhowee gliderport and was airborne approximately 40 minutes prior to the accident. While in cruise flight, the PIC was flying up and down the ridge line. As he was flying along this ridge, the PIC saw 2 large birds thermalling off of his left wing. The PIC stated he thought he was further and higher away from the ridge line. As such, the PIC stated he entered the thermal the birds were in and made an error of turning towards the ridge. Once perpendicular to the ridge on a magnetic heading of approximately 280 degrees, the tailwind carried him into the area of sinking air. This action resulted in loss of lift and collision with the tree line of bean mountain. After the accident settled, the PIC was able to make contact with the owner of chilhowee gliderport who initiated search and rescue.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 20TH, 2023, AT 1:03 EST, THE PIC OF^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED CHILHOWEE GLIDERPORT TO FLY ALONG THE RIDGE LINE WITHIN THE AREA OF BENTON, TN. THE PIC STATED HE FELT IT WAS "A GOOD RIDGE DAY TO FLY AND FELT IT WAS A SAFE DAY TO GO FLYING." THE PIC HAD A NORMAL TAKEOFF FROM CHILHOWEE GLIDERPORT AND WAS AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PIC WAS FLYING UP AND DOWN THE RIDGE LINE. AS HE WAS FLYING ALONG THIS RIDGE, THE PIC SAW 2 LARGE BIRDS THERMALLING OFF OF HIS LEFT WING. THE PIC STATED HE THOUGHT HE WAS FURTHER AND HIGHER AWAY FROM THE RIDGE LINE. AS SUCH, THE PIC STATED HE ENTERED THE THERMAL THE BIRDS WERE IN AND MADE AN ERROR OF TURNING TOWARDS THE RIDGE. ONCE PERPENDICULAR TO THE RIDGE ON A MAGNETIC HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 280 DEGREES, THE TAILWIND CARRIED HIM INTO THE AREA OF SINKING AIR. THIS ACTION RESULTED IN LOSS OF LIFT AND COLLISION WITH THE TREE LINE OF BEAN MOUNTAIN. AFTER THE ACCIDENT SETTLED, THE PIC WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE OWNER OF CHILHOWEE GLIDERPORT WHO INITIATED SEARCH AND RESCUE.

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 ERA23LA115Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBenton, TNThe pilot’s decision to turn toward a mountain ridge in a thermal, which resulted in a collision with terrain.Jan 20, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1NZ · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19880410013339ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Saint Helena, CAUnable to return on a round-robin flight due to lack of thermals and low altitude. Landing in a field hit a ditch.Apr 10, 1988 · Minor damage