LAX00LA217

After making a radio call from a handheld microphone on base to final, the pilot realized that she was a little high. She set the microphone down and placed both hands on the control stick in an effort to execute a sideslip to lose altitude. While attempting to flare and clear the airport boundary fence, the glider did not respond to back pressure applied to the control stick. The microphone was later found lodged in the control stick well.

On June 4, 2000, about 1520 hours mountain standard time, a Schweizer SGS 1-26 glider, N3814A, sustained substantial damage after colliding with a fence while landing at Coyote Run Gliderport, near Prescott, Arizona. Prescott Soaring Association operated the glider under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The instructional flight departed Coyote Run about 1420. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that after making a radio call to advise traffic in the area that she was on base to final, she realized that she was a little high. In an attempt to lose altitude, she placed the microphone down and placed both hands on the control stick to execute a sideslip. While attempting to flare and clear the airport boundary fence, the glider did not respond to back pressure applied to the control stick. The glider contacted the airport fence and subsequently the ground in a 10-degree nose down pitch attitude, and then bounced 25 to 30 feet back into the air. The glider contacted the ground in a 10-degree nose down pitch attitude for a second time, and ground looped about 100 feet left of centerline. The microphone was later found lodged in the control stick well.