# NTSB ERA21LA395: Schempp Hirth Ventus C, N571RD, Wagener, SC, April 22, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 22, 2021, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Wagener, SC · Wooded Area near Festival Trail Road - Coordinates: 33.644327, -81.348606 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6443&lon=-81.3486&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 104912 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA395 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104912/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104912 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA395 ## Probable cause Impact with trees during a forced landing in atmospheric lift conditions that were insufficient to maintain flight. Contributing was the pilot’s delayed decision to return to the airport. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: thermal lifting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040/cases.md?model=3802065), [All aircraft, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=3802065), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=3802065), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=3802065), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md) - [Approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3802065), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was participating in a glider contest where about 50 other gliders would also be flying. The surrounding terrain had areas of clear-cut, (stumps and scrub brush) standing trees, isolated buildings, rural roads, farm fields, and a residential area near the airport. The terrain was flat, and the gliders were being launched about every minute. The pilot’s glider was the seventh glider launched. The plan was for each glider to be towed to an altitude of 2,000 ft agl before release. The tow path resulted in the pilot flying north-east, parallel to the runway, opposite the direction of takeoff. The pilot released about 100’ lower as he felt a significant surge of upward moving air (lift) and wanted to exploit it to gain altitude for the balance of the flight. When he felt the lift, he cleared the area and released to the right, followed by an immediate 270° left turn to search for the lift, however he was unable to find it, and proceeded to search over ground that appeared favorable for the generation of thermals. Finding none after circling five times, he proceeded to head south-southwest back towards the airport in case he would need to land. At this time, he was at approximately 1,000 agl and 1.8 miles from the airport. About 1.7 miles from the airport, he encountered significant sinking air, which reduced his altitude to approximately 600 ft when he was about 1.5 miles from the airport. He believed that he probably would not make it to the airport to land safely. He then encountered a strong thermal and tried to circle and catch it as he believed that it would likely be his only chance to save the flight. He then circled three times, but only lost more altitude. He then identified a small field to attempt to land in. The field was surrounded by trees and was only a 500-to-600-foot long. He tried to land on the field from the south as low and slow as possible but was not able to reach the field before impacting the trees at the northern edge, which resulted in substantial damage to the glider. In a summary statement, the pilot further described the factors that he believed contributed to the accident. He stated in part, “There were a combination of stressful factors which contributed to this accident, but it all got down to not staying with the decision to get to the airport after encountering the big sinking air. I probably could have made it to the airport had I just kept going, but the rapid loss of altitude was so alarming that my decision-making switched to survival mode.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N571RD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N571RD-2021-07-27), registration cancelled 2021-07-27, S/N 355, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCHEMPP HIRTH VENTUS C - Registry model: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C](https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-ventus-c) (registry code 3802065) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 355 - Year built: 1987 - Airframe hours: 2437.38 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 1, 2021 - Departed: SC95, Perry, SC - Airport: SC95, Perry International Airport, runway 25, 5,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: serious; private; last flight review April 27, 2020; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 234 total, 83 in this make and model, 203 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: XNO, 12 nm away - METAR: SA 22/04/2021 16:56-> METAR KXNO 221656Z AUTO 29003KT 10SM CLR 14/M12 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP230 T01421121 $= ## 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 20210422022289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210422022289A), Apr 22, 2021: Schempp-Hirth VENTUS C, Perry, SC, Substantial damage. Flight was intended to be a cross country contest. At approximately 1900? AGL pilot felt a significant surge of lift and released the tow. He was unsuccessful… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104912. 5.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14340337&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident-Incident%20Report%20(NTSB%20Form%206120.1)%20Signed%2020210430_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 402 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14341582&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.