- Date
- August 5, 2009, 15:25 local (22:25 UTC)
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N77MAEiriavion PIK 20B
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090805016759A
- Case key
- 74496
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
A loss of lift that resulted in an off-airport landing.
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
While returning from a cross-country glider flight, the pilot reported losing lift and encountering downdrafts along his route. He elected to make an off-airport landing. During the landing approach, the glider impacted the top of a tree at approximately 12 feet above the ground; subsequently, it impacted terrain on the chin of its' fuselage and came to rest in an upright position. The force of the impact resulted in the separation of both wings. Examination of the glider revealed that the fuselage, canopy, and wings were structurally damaged.
Factual narrative
While returning from a cross-country glider flight, the pilot reported losing lift and encountering downdrafts along his route. He elected to make an off-airport landing. During the landing approach, the glider impacted the top of a tree at approximately 12 feet above the ground; subsequently, it impacted terrain on the chin of its' fuselage and came to rest in an upright position. The force of the impact resulted in the separation of both wings. Examination of the glider revealed that the fuselage, canopy, and wings were structurally damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77MA
- Reported as
- Eiriavion PIK 20B
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 20127C
- Airframe hours
- 1,213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Umberger Martin S
- Registered owner
- Umberger Martin S
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2009
- Departed
- AZ67 · Marana, AZ
- Destination
- AZ67 · Marana, AZ
- Airport
- AZ67 · El Tiro Gliderport
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Last flight review
- February 22, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 104 total · 16 in this make and model · 75 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 106 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KTUS, 28 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 834 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.