- Date
- March 21, 2016, 11:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Pine Grove, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N16BPRolladen-Schneider LS8
- Defining event
- Other: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20160321002079A
- Case key
- 92876
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 inability to maintain the glider's descent rate and glide path after encountering a downdraft, resulting in a collision with 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
According to the pilot of the glider, while performing a cross country flight along a mountain ridge, the pilot could no longer maintain altitude as a result of unfavorable wind conditions. The pilot reported that he elected to execute an off airport landing. He recounted that he selected a suitable landing area, and executed a normal traffic pattern. However, he reported that he encountered a strong downdraft and the glider impacted trees that bordered the selected landing area. The glider sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the glider prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the glider, while performing a cross country flight along a mountain ridge, the pilot could no longer maintain altitude as a result of unfavorable wind conditions. The pilot reported that he elected to execute an off airport landing. He recounted that he selected a suitable landing area, and executed a normal traffic pattern. However, he reported that he encountered a strong downdraft and the glider impacted trees that bordered the selected landing area. The glider sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the glider prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16BP
- Reported as
- Rolladen-Schneider LS8 (18)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 8334
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 1,048.5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carlyle, John M.
- Registered owner
- Carlyle, John M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 9, 2015
- Departed
- 1N7 · Blairstown, NJ
- Destination
- 1N7 · Blairstown, NJ
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking 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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- October 7, 2015
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 917 total · 468 in this make and model · 806 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 14 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KMUI, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2016, 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.