- Date
- July 15, 2011, 17:00 local (Jul 16, 2011, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Adelanto, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N84AMRolladen Schneider OHG LS-3-17
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110715017179A
- Case key
- 81153
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 incorrect use of the flap control pitch control recovery which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that he turned from the base leg to final approach at about 400 feet with full flaps and spoilers extended. On final approach about 100 feet above the ground, he decided to change the flap setting from 20 degrees to 10 degrees as there was a crosswind. He said that as he tried to move the flap handle, the handle slipped from his hand and instantly changed the flaps to 10 degrees, which resulted in the glider losing lift and nosed down. He pulled back on the controls, but the glider stalled and collided with the ground resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was turning the glider from base to final at about 400 feet with full flaps and spoilers extended. On final about 100 feet above the ground, the pilot decided to change his flap setting from 20 degrees to 10 degrees as there was a cross wind. When he went to move the flap handle, the handle slipped from his hand and instantly changed the flaps to 10 degrees, which caused the glider to lose lift and nose down. The pilot then pulled back on the controls which caused the glider to stall and collide with the ground. The glider was substantially damaged and the pilot was seriously injured during the accident. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84AM
- Reported as
- Rolladen Schneider OHG LS-3-17
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 3466
- Airframe hours
- 884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 29, 2011
- Departed
- 0CL1 · Adelanto, CA
- Destination
- 0CL1 · Adelanto, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- 0CL1 · Krey Field Airport, runway 07, 3,360 × 100 ft, dirt
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
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 15, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 439 total · 257 in this make and model · 367 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
- Observed at
- KVCV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB 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.