# NTSB WPR11CA208: Doktor Fiberglas H101 Salto, N110AZ, Peoria, AZ, April 24, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 24, 2011, 15:24 local (22:24 UTC) - Place: Peoria, AZ - Coordinates: 33.800556, -112.250556 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8006&lon=-112.2506&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 3, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 78964 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11CA208 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78964/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78964 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA208 ## Probable cause The glider's encounter with turbulence and loss of lift, which resulted in a ditching in a lake. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: terrain induced turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md?model=8501001), [All aircraft, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=8501001), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=8501001), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis The local soaring flight departed via air-tow. Upon entering two back-to-back thermals, the glider climbed to an altitude of 9,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot maneuvered the glider toward marker clouds for additional thermaling; however, he encountered what he described as severe turbulence and decided to head back to the airport. Just abeam the northwest end of a lake near the airport, the glider encountered turbulence along with a high sink rate. The pilot reported the sink rate to be from 500 to 800 feet per minute (fpm), with extremes up to 1,200 fpm to 1,500 fpm. The pilot attempted to maneuver the glider to minimize its time in the sink condition. He realized that he was not going to make it back to the airport and started to look for a place to land. Due to busy roads and full parking lots, he chose to land along the shoreline of the lake. The glider touched down about 30 yards from the shore. The pilot stated that, in retrospect, he believes that the glider was caught on the leeward side of a ridge or the downdraft of a wave. He reported no mechanical anomalies with the glider prior to the accident. The right side of the tail separated from the glider during the ditching and damage occurred to the spoilers and ailerons. ## Factual narrative The local soaring flight departed via air-tow. Upon entering two back-to-back thermals, the glider climbed to an altitude of 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot maneuvered the glider toward marker clouds for additional thermaling; however, he encountered what he described as severe turbulence and decided to head back to the airport. Just abeam the northwest end of a lake near the airport, the glider encountered turbulence along with a strong sink rate. The pilot reported the sink rate to be from 500 to 800 feet per minute (fpm), with extremes up to 1,200 fpm to 1,500 fpm. The pilot attempted to maneuver the glider to minimize its time in the sink condition. He realized that he was not going to make it back to the airport and started to look for a place to land. The pilot reported that due to busy roads and full parking lots, he chose to land along the shoreline of the lake. The glider touched down about 30 yards from the shore. The pilot stated that in retrospect, he understands that the glider was caught on the leeward side of a ridge or the downdraft of a wave. He reported no mechanical anomalies with the glider prior to the accident. The right side of the v-tail separated from the glider during the ditching and damage occurred to the spoilers and ailerons. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N110AZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N110AZ-2011-07-20), registration cancelled 2011-07-20, S/N 61, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DOKTOR FIBERGLAS H101 SALTO - Registry model: [Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO](https://openairdocs.org/model/doktor-fiberglas-h101-salto) (registry code 8501001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 61 - Airframe hours: 850 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, February 15, 2011 - Departed: P48, Peoria, AZ - Destination: P48, Peoria, AZ - Airport: P48, Pleasant Valley Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; commercial, private, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; last flight review November 11, 2010; seat: single; flight hours: 7,190 total, 8 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20110424006909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110424006909A), Apr 24, 2011: Doktor Fiberglas H101 SALTO, Peoria, AZ, Substantial damage. Mr. Bruekner was towed to 2500 feet mean sea level (MSL) and was released for soaring. He found updrafts and climbed to 9000 feet MSL. Mr. Bruekner encountered… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78964. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 530 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348605&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Main Wreckage (MCSO) (item 2, .PDF, 727 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348604&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Main%20Wreckage%20(MCSO)-Master.PDF 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.