# NTSB GAA19CA447: Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2, N821W, Sparks, NV, July 14, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 14, 2019, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Sparks, NV - Coordinates: 39.868057, -119.710281 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8681&lon=-119.7103&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 21, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 99914 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA447 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99914/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99914 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA447 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner, which resulted in glider settling into sage brush. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=05621GF), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=05621GF), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=05621GF), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05621GF), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05621GF), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The glider pilot reported that, during an aerotow takeoff, the glider weather vaned off the paved surface of the runway about 200 ft into the takeoff roll. The pilot stated that the glider's tailwheel was too small to roll on the unpaved surface and that the glider's acceleration in the dirt "was not as fast as it needed to be." The tow plane became airborne before the glider, and shortly after the glider became airborne at low airspeed, about 10 to 15 ft above ground level, the glider settled into sage brush and contacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The glider pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident could have been prevented by releasing from the tow plane "before leaving the ground." ## Factual narrative The glider pilot reported that, during an aerial tow, about 200 ft into the takeoff roll, the glider weathervaned to the left and ran off the side of the runway about a foot. He was unable to correct because of the low airspeed. He added that the paved runway surface and soft dirt off the side of the runway were extremely bumpy and he was concerned about breaking the landing gear. The tow plane was "effectively dragging [the] tail through the dirt" and by the time the glider had built up enough speed to utilize the rudder, he was about halfway down the 1,270 ft runway. The pilot added that the tow airplane lifted off before the glider. The glider lifted to about 10 to 15 ft above the runway and remained in ground effect. The tow airplane and glider drifted to the right of the runway over sage brush. The glider lost airspeed, settled, impacted the sage brush, and cartwheeled. The pilot added that his GPS flight track displayed a maximum ground speed of 52 knots. The glider's stall speed for his configuration was about 51 knots. The manufacturer published on their website that the stall speed was 32.4 knots. The tow pilot reported that, during the takeoff, he saw in a mirror that the glider was "extremely low, with a nose high attitude" before impacting sage brush. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The glider pilot reported that the wind was variable and from 190° at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The tow pilot reported that the wind was variable from 190° to 210° with gusts from 5 to 15 knots. The pilots were departing runway 21. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N821W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N821W-2022-10-01), registration cancelled 2022-10-01, S/N 562106003, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 (DIANA-2) - Registry model: [Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/biuro-projektowe-b-bogumil-ber-szd-56-2-diana-2) (registry code 05621GF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 562106003 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 466.8 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 5, 2018 - Departed: NV23, Sparks, NV - Destination: NV23, Sparks, NV - Airport: NV23, Air Sailing, runway 21, 3,000 × 60 ft, dirt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: minor; private; last flight review August 13, 2017; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 416.5 total, 278.2 in this make and model, 414.8 as pilot in command, 80.5 in the last 90 days, 29.6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 16 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KRTS, 14 nm away ## 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 20190714022899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190714022899A), Jul 14, 2019: Biuro Projektowe B Bogumil Ber SZD-56-2 DIANA-2, Reno, NV, Substantial damage. Due to wind conditions, the pilot elected to depart runway 21, a short 1000 ft by 20 ft paved strip. The pilot stated that during his takeoff roll, the glider… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99914. 4.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476818&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Tow Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476819&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Tow%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476820&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.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.