# NTSB LAX06LA024: Schleicher ASH 26 E, N26XL, Sparks, NV, November 2, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 2, 2005, 09:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Sparks, NV - Coordinates: 39.571388, -119.720832 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5714&lon=-119.7208&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 62765 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06LA024 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62765/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06LA024 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in a subsequent loss of control and an in-flight breakup. A contributing factor was the spool up delay for the emergency turn and bank indicator. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - flight/nav instruments,turn and bank indicator - not operating (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled - wing - overload (cause) - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command - Miscellaneous/other, descent - uncontrolled - bail-out/emergency ejection - performed, pilot in command ## Analysis During cruise flight while in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the pilot lost control of his glider and experienced an in-flight breakup. The wings separated from the glider, and the pilot bailed out. The flight was planned as an attempt to set a cross-country glider record using standing lenticular wave conditions along the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The pilot was on an instrument flight plan and was cleared for a block altitude between 18,000 and 28,000 feet. The pilot reported experiencing internal canopy icing that interfered with his view through the canopy. When wiping the canopy clear of frost, he observed that the glider was approaching clouds and would shortly be in instrument conditions. The pilot turned on his emergency standby gyro (electric turn and bank), but it did not spool up completely before he entered the clouds and lost control. ## Factual narrative On November 2, 2005, about 0940 Pacific standard time, a Schleicher Alexander GMBH & Company, ASH 26E (powered glider), N26XL, experienced an in-flight breakup near Sparks, Nevada, following the pilot's loss of control. The airline transport pilot bailed out of the glider and was seriously injured. The glider was destroyed. The pilot owned and operated the glider, which had a standard airworthiness certificate in the utility category. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed at the pilot's cruise altitude, approximately 20,700 feet mean sea level (msl). The personal flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was in effect. The flight originated from Inyokern, California, about 0618. The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the flight was planned as an attempt to set a cross-country glider record using standing lenticular wave conditions along the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The pilot obtained approval to fly in an airspace block between flight level 180 and flight level 280. The pilot monitored the weather in detail for about 2 weeks before the flight. He reported that upon departure he motor-climbed to approximately 9,000 feet msl and encountered the wave condition exactly as forecast. He shut down the engine and proceeded on course in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). During cruise flight he experienced internal canopy icing that interfered with his view through the canopy. When wiping the canopy clear of frost, he observed that the glider was climbing into a "layer of moisture." He determined that his only alternative was to turn on his emergency standby gryo (electric turn and bank), maintain heading and position, and climb through the "ledge" of moisture. However, the gyro did not come "up to speed" while the wings were level and before encountering IMC conditions. The pilot additionally reported that what happened next is subject to conjecture. In any case, the wings separated from the fuselage shortly after he encountered IMC. The pilot exited the cockpit, cleared the fuselage, and opened the emergency parachute. A few days after the accident the pilot was interviewed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors. The pilot told them that after the glider entered the clouds, its airspeed increased and he lost orientation. The FAA's recorded radar data indicated that during the last 8 minutes 13 seconds of the glider's flight, the glider's altitude varied between18,800 feet and 20,700 feet according to its Mode C altitude encoding transponder. The last Mode C radar hit occurred at 0939:30. At this time the glider's altitude was 20,700 feet. The main wreckage of the glider came to rest at the following GPS coordinates: 39 degrees 34 minutes 09.6 seconds north latitude by 119 degrees 43 minutes 08.6 seconds west longitude. The main wreckage site was about 2.6 nautical miles north-northeast of Sparks, Nevada. The pilot was located about 1.6 nm and 004 degrees from the main wreckage. An examination of the main wreckage revealed that the two wings and the center section of the fuselage were missing. The alignment pins for the wings appeared bent. The rudder was attached to the vertical stabilizer. The horizontal stabilizer and the elevator were also missing. The Reno airport, elevation 4,415 feet msl, is located about 4.8 nm south of the accident site. At 0956, Reno reported the following weather conditions at the airport: wind from 190 degrees at 29 knots with gusts to 38 knots; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 10,000 feet and broken clouds at 15,000 and 25,000 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N26XL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26XL-2007-09-14), registration cancelled 2007-09-14, S/N 26181, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schleicher ASH 26 E - Registry model: [Schleicher Alexander ASH 26 E](https://openairdocs.org/model/schleicher-alexander-ash-26-e) (registry code 05624RU) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 26-181 - Airframe hours: 255 - Engines: Midwest AE50R 50 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 2004 - Departed: IYK, Inyokern, CA - Destination: IYK, Inyokern, CA - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: serious; commercial, flight engineer, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2006; seat: single; flight hours: 20,500 total, 330 in this make and model, 13,200 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 29 knots, gusting 38 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: RNO, 5 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 20051102028109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051102028109A), Nov 2, 2005: Schler ASH26E, Sparks, NV, Destroyed. (-23) While glider soaring in VMC at approximately 20,000FT. MSL, near a lenticular cloud, the pilot stated that he thought frost was forming in the top of the… 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.