- Date
- May 4, 2008, 14:22 local (21:22 UTC)
- Place
- Ephrata, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N747JNSchempp-Hirth Nimbus-4M
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080504833519A
- Case key
- 67945
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to connect the left aileron control rod during assembly.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
This was the first flight after removal of the glider from storage and its reassembly. The pilot reported that during takeoff initial climb, the glider started to roll to the left despite his control inputs. He decided to abort the takeoff and land straight ahead while attempting to maintain control of the powered glider. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground, and the glider began to cartwheel. Examination of the airframe revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged and the empennage was partially separated. Examination of the flight control system revealed that the left aileron connecting rod was disconnected at the fuselage/wing quick connection point and was undamaged. The pilot stated that during assembly of the glider prior to the flight, the left aileron control tube was inadvertently not attached, and that he did not verify that all flight controls moved free and correct prior to takeoff.
Factual narrative
This was the first flight after removal of the glider from storage and its reassembly. The pilot reported that during takeoff initial climb, the glider started to roll to the left despite his control inputs. He decided to abort the takeoff and land straight ahead while attempting to maintain control of the powered glider. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground and the glider began to cart wheel. Examination of the airframe revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged and the empennage was partially separated. Examination of the flight control system revealed that the left aileron connecting rod was disconnected at the fuselage/wing quick connection point and was undamaged. The pilot stated that during assembly of the glider prior to the flight, the left aileron control tube was inadvertently not attached and that he did not verify that all flight controls moved free and correct prior to takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N747JN
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4M
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 14
- Engine
- Solo 2625-02, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Nelson Edward Funston
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- KEPH · Ephrata, WA
- Airport
- KEPH · Ephrata Municipal Airport, runway 21, 3,467 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KEPH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.