# NTSB CEN25LA177: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B, N246GC, Hinckley, IL, May 14, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 14, 2025, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Hinckley, IL
- Coordinates: 41.770863, -88.703414
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7709&lon=-88.7034&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA - Greater Chicago FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200156
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA177
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200156/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200156
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA177

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the glider during takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=3801262), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093) (defining event); cases with it: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=3801262), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he lost control of the glider during the first few seconds of the aerotow takeoff and the glider’s left wing contacted the ground. He stated that he released the glider from the tow airplane, but the glider cartwheeled. The pilot noted that he did not have a wing runner for the takeoff attempt. At the time of the accident the pilot reported that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the glider and that he had “poor airmanship” and was rushing in his flight preparations. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N246GC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N246GC), registered now, S/N 6193 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER LS-6B
- Registry model: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B](https://openairdocs.org/model/rolladen-schneider-ls-6b) (registry code 3801262) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 6193
- Airframe hours: 1823
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, January 11, 2025
- Airport: 0C2, Hinckley, runway 09/27, 2,640 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; last flight review February 27, 2025; seat: single; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,100 total, 3 in this make and model, 2,050 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observed at: KARR, 10 nm away
- METAR: METAR KARR 141752Z 11003KT 8SM SCT041 27/16 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP063 T02670161 10267 20161 58013=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250514005819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250514005819A), May 14, 2025: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B, Hinckley, IL, Substantial damage. The pilot in command had recently purchased a new glider and was preparing for a flight. During takeoff, he lost control of the aircraft, the left wing clipped…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200156. 24.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 23.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18923682&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum - pilot interview (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18923771&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Skrabal-Rel.pdf
- Accident photograph (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 466 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18923937&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf

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.

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