- Date
- July 3, 2018, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pomfret, VT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1122QSchempp Hirth Discus CS
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180703017089A
- Case key
- 97686
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 glider pilot’s selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in a collision with a ditch during the landing roll.
Findings · 2
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, during a glider competition, he passed a "weak frontal system," and lift could not be sustained. He selected a large field for landing, established a traffic pattern, and accomplished a full-stall landing. However, during the landing roll on down-sloping terrain about 40 knots, the glider collided with a ditch. The glider sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the glider pilot, during a glider competition he passed a "weak frontal system" and lift could not be sustained. He determined that he had about 15 minutes of flight before the glider was going to land. He selected a large field and established a traffic pattern and accomplished a full stall landing. However, during the landing roll on down sloping terrain about 40 knots, the glider collided with a ditch. The glider sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1122Q
- Reported as
- Schempp Hirth Discus CS (No Series)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 307CS
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 576
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Operator
- Throttle Up Inc
- Registered owner
- Throttle Up Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2018
- Departed
- VSF · Springfield, VT
- Destination
- VSF · Springfield, VT
- Equipment
- Data recorder
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2017
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 3,457 total · 347 in this make and model · 3,285 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KLEB, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.