- Date
- June 6, 2014, 14:06 local (19:06 UTC)
- Place
- Wallis, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N245ABSchempp-Hirth Nimbus 3/24.5
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140606007939A
- Case key
- 89397
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 direction control of the glider during takeoff in gusty wind conditions.
Findings · 3
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 glider pilot reported that he was to be towed by a tow plane and make a "no assist launch." The glider's wings were loosely supported by wing stands and the tow rope was attached from the tow plane to the glider. When the slack was out of the tow rope, the glider pilot made a radio call "Go, go, go" to the tow pilot. The glider began to lift off from the grass runway when pilot noticed that the tow plane moved left laterally from what he assumed was a gust of wind. The tow pilot corrected back to the right and the glider pilot readied to do the same. When the glider entered the area of suspected wind gust, it suddenly ascended about 8 feet and the left wing lifted. The pilot applied full left aileron and left rudder and forward pressure on the control stick in order to descend and regain the correct flight path. The left wing continued to lift so the glider pilot released the tow rope as the glider made a 30 degree right turn. The glider exited the area of suspected wind gust and the glider pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the glider impacted the runway. The glider sustained substantial damage to the rear fuselage and empennage. He also reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The glider pilot reported that he was to be towed by a tow plane and make a "no assist launch." The glider's wings were loosely supported by wing stands and the tow rope was attached from the tow plane to the glider. When the slack was out of the tow rope, the glider pilot made a radio call "Go, go, go" to the tow pilot. The glider began to lift off from the grass runway when pilot noticed that the tow plane moved left laterally from what he assumed was a gust of wind. The tow pilot corrected back to the right and the glider pilot readied to do the same. When the glider entered the area of suspected wind gust, it suddenly ascended about 8 feet and the left wing lifted. The pilot applied full left aileron and left rudder and forward pressure on the control stick in order to descend and regain the correct flight path. The left wing continued to lift so the glider pilot released the tow rope as the glider made a 30 degree right turn. The glider exited the area of suspected wind gust and the glider pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the glider impacted the runway. The glider sustained substantial damage to the rear fuselage and empennage. He also reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N245AB
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 3/24.5
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 65
- Built
- 1984
- Airframe hours
- 1,815
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Coggins David L
- Registered owner
- Coggins David L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 2014
- Departed
- TE71 · Wallis, TX
- Destination
- TE71 · Wallis, TX
- Airport
- TE71 · Ghsa-Wallis Glideport, runway 18, 4,000 × 125 ft, grass/turf
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,782 total · 477 in this make and model · 2,645 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,100 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGR, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 855 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.