- Date
- February 18, 2014, 09:55 local (14:55 UTC)
- Place
- Burnsville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N411SDSchempp-Hirth Ventus 2B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140218002259A
- Case key
- 88817
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 improper use of the spoilers, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent impact with trees.
Findings · 4
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
According to the glider pilot, he did "crack" open the spoilers during tow a little due to the turbulent air that day. Immediately after releasing from the tow airplane, the glider went into a nose down attitude. He overheard the tow pilot say that his spoilers were deployed. He retracted the spoilers and then attempted to gain attitude but was out of lift. He saw a golf course to the north but then realized that he would not make the intended landing area, and chose an area that looked like it had small trees. According to the pilot towing the glider, they departed and flew about 15 minutes to the glide area. The glider was released and began a nose down attitude towards the ground. She stated that the glider's dive brakes were deployed. The tow pilot radioed the glider pilot, asking him if everything was "ok". The accident pilot responded back on the radio with what the she thought was an "affirmative", which later was determined to be a "negative". The tow pilot continued to watch the glider in a sharp dive until it impacted trees. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wing leading edges, and the empennage sustained substantial damage due to impact with trees. Control continuity from the flight controls to all surfaces was verified. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the glider pilot, he did "crack" open the spoilers during tow a little due to the turbulent air that day. Immediately after releasing from the tow airplane, the glider went into a nose down attitude. He overheard the tow pilot say that his spoilers were deployed. He retracted the spoilers and then attempted to gain attitude but was out of lift. He saw a golf course to the north but then realized that he would not make the intended landing area, and chose an area that looked like it had small trees. According to the pilot towing the glider, they departed and flew about 15 minutes to the glide area. The glider was released and began a nose down attitude towards the ground. She stated that the glider's dive brakes were deployed. The tow pilot radioed the glider pilot, asking him if everything was "ok". The accident pilot responded back on the radio with what the she thought was an "affirmative", which later was determined to be a "negative". The tow pilot continued to watch the glider in a sharp dive until it impacted trees. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wing leading edges, and the empennage sustained substantial damage due to impact with trees. Control continuity from the flight controls to all surfaces was verified. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N411SD
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2B
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 102
- Airframe hours
- 1,229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Campbell Jay D
- Registered owner
- Campbell Jay D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 21, 2013
- Departed
- 9A9 · Marion, NC
- Destination
- 9A9 · Marion, NC
- Equipment
- Video recording device
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
- 66
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2012
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,329 total · 200 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- FQD, 19 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 8, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB 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.