- Date
- December 27, 2020, 13:36 local (18:36 UTC)
- Place
- Bunn, NC · In a open field
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N205HLGlasflugel Club Libelle 205
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20201227018859A
- Case key
- 102459
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 adequate clearance from trees during an off-airport landing.
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 pilot of the glider reported that the takeoff and aerotow were normal, and he released from tow at 3,000 ft above ground level (agl). He stated that he kept the airport in sight for most of the flight; however, at an altitude of about 1,500 ft agl, he lost sight of the airport and was unable to locate it. At an altitude of 1,100 ft agl, he decided to look for a suitable field in which to land off-airport. As he approached the field, he recalled flying over a tree, but did not recall the accident sequence. A witness stated that he watched as the glider descended toward the field, “clipped” a tree, and collided with the ground nose-first. The glider’s vertical stabilizer and both wings were substantially damaged during the accident and the pilot was seriously injured. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the glider.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N205HL
- Reported as
- Glasflugel Club Libelle 205
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 5, 2020 · 1,008 hours before
- Departed
- 7NC5 · Bunn, NC
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 7NC5 · Crooked Creek Private Airport
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld 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
- 68
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown
- Last flight review
- January 23, 2020
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 45 total · 1 in this make and model · 13 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 49 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- LHZ, 6 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 6, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.