MIA05CA074

The pilot stated he entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 18. He was turning to base leg when he realized his airspeed was too low. The glider stalled in the turn and dropped in to the woods, coming to rest in a near vertical position suspended by trees. The glider incurred damage to the right and left wings along with the fuselage, tail, and canopy. The pilot stated there was no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the glider or any its systems prior the accident.

On March 5, 2005, at 1630 eastern standard time, a Dgflugzeugbau/Glider, DG-800S, N92DG, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while on approach to land at, Seminole Lake Gliderport, Clermont, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The private-rated pilot reported no injuries, and the glider incurred substantial damage. The flight originated earlier that day, about 1530.

The pilot stated he entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 18. He was turning to base leg when he realized his airspeed was too low. The glider stalled in the turn and dropped in to the woods, coming to rest in a near vertical position suspended by trees. The glider incurred damage to the right and left wings along with the fuselage, tail, and canopy. The pilot stated there was no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the glider or any its systems prior the accident.

The FAA accident inspector who visited the accident site stated the pilot was attempting to sequence himself in the traffic pattern and misjudged his airspeed and altitude required to successfully land. The pilot was turning to the base leg of the pattern when he stalled. The glider impacted trees in a near vertical attitude, 1/2 mile from the approach end of the runway.