# NTSB NYC00LA230: Redsell Windrose, Marion, OH, August 12, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 12, 2000, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Marion, OH - Coordinates: 41.039394, -83.639175 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0394&lon=-83.6392&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 19, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50012 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA230 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50012/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA230 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider. Factors in this accident were the strong crosswinds, and thermals, which existed during the flight. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - thermal lift (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - crop ## Analysis The homebuilt glider was towed to, and released at, 2,000 feet agl. While circling to the left in a thermal, a gust lifted the glider's right wing and flipped the glider inverted. The glider then quickly entered a spiral dive. The pilot stated, 'The speed built so quickly that I determined it was near red line and a bailout was a better option than having it breakup in the air at low altitude.' The pilot elected to egress from the glider and parachuted to the ground without incident. The unoccupied glider then impacted in a bean field, and was destroyed. The pilot stated he experience no mechanical problems with the glider. Another glider pilot in the accident area stated he experienced strong thermals and the wind aloft was about 18 knots. ## Factual narrative On August 12, 2000, about 1615 Eastern Daylight Time, a homebuilt Windrose glider, Canadian Registry C-GELQ, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in Marion, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight that departed the Marion Municipal Airport (MNN), about 1600. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot/builder, the glider was towed to, and released at, 2,000 feet agl. While circling to the left in a thermal, a gust lifted the glider's right wing and flipped the glider inverted. The glider then quickly entered a spiral dive. The pilot further stated: "The speed built so quickly that I determined it was near red line and a bailout was a better option than having it breakup in the air at low altitude. My altitude was about 2,400 feet agl, when I entered this maneuver. There was no control failure and I parachuted to a safe landing..." The unoccupied glider then impacted in a bean field and was destroyed. A glider pilot conducting a flight between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, near the center of MNN, witnessed the accident. He observed the accident glider just northeast of his position, over the airport. He stated "...There were strong thermals and the wind aloft was about 18 knots. I observed the right wing of the Windrose raise very quickly, inverting it and snapping into a left hand spin." The surface winds reported at MNN, at 1553, were from 360 degrees at 10 knots. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular AC 20-27D "Certification and Operation of Amateur-Built Aircraft," stated in part: "The amateur-built program was designed to permit person(s) to build an aircraft solely for educational or recreational purposes. The FAA has always permitted amateur builders freedom to select their own designs. The FAA does not formally approve these designs since it is not practicable to develop design standards for the multitude of unique design configurations generated by kit manufacturers and amateur builders." It also stated, "Since 1983, FAA inspections of amateur-built aircraft have been limited to ensuring the use of acceptable workmanship methods, techniques, practices, and issuing operating limitations necessary to protect persons and property not involved in this activity." ## Aircraft - Registration: CGELQ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Redsell WINDROSE - Category: Glider, amateur-built - Serial number: MAT-134 - Airframe hours: 20 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Mathew J. Redsell - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: MNN - Airport: MNN, Marion Muni ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; commercial; seat: center; flight hours: 344 total, 25 in this make and model, 170 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MNN, 1 nm away 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.