- Date
- June 1, 2013, 18:00 local (Jun 2, 2013, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Corona, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N62TWSchempp-Hirth VENTUS-2B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 87151
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while ridge-soaring in gusty wind conditions.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was ridge-soaring in his glider near a mountain peak in gusty wind conditions, when he was blown into trees. The glider sustained substantial damage to the airframe and wings. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the glider. He said that he was unfamiliar with the terrain and the wind gusts and down-drafts were higher than he anticipated.
Factual narrative
The pilot was ridge-soaring in his glider near a mountain peak in gusty wind conditions, when he was blown into trees. The glider sustained substantial damage to the airframe and wings. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the glider. He said that he was unfamiliar with the terrain and the wind gusts and down-drafts were higher than he anticipated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62TW
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-2B
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 140
- Airframe hours
- 2,200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paynter G Frank
- Registered owner
- Paynter G Frank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 2, 2012
- Departed
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
- Destination
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
- Airport
- None
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 30, 2012
- Flight hours
- 4,800 total · 1,652 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 29, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 797 KB in all.