- Date
- June 12, 2012, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Warner Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N921BRStemme S10-VT
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120612011619A
- Case key
- 83939
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 pilots’ failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusting crosswind.
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 was undergoing a flight review in a glider. Before the flight review, the pilot had obtained several hours of instruction from the flight instructor. During the final phase of a normal approach and landing, the glider became unstable due to a left crosswind. The glider's left wing contacted the ground, which resulted in a ground loop. During the ground loop, the tail boom separated, the main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing was damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was undergoing a flight review in a glider. His flight review had expired several years prior to the accident. Prior to the flight review, he had obtained several hours of instruction from the certified flight instructor. During the final phase of a normal approach and landing, the glider became unstable due to a left crosswind. The glider's left wing contacted the ground which resulted in a ground loop. During the ground loop, the tail boom separated, the main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing was damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N921BR
- Reported as
- Stemme S10-VT
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 11-028
- Airframe hours
- 250
- Engine
- Rotax 914, 110 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- George Klopfer
- Registered owner
- Fractional Flight LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 8, 2012 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- CL35 · Warner Springs, CA
- Destination
- CL35 · Warner Springs, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- CL35 · Warner Springs Gliderport, runway 26, 4,700 × 70 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 26, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 75 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,252 total · 248 in this make and model · 782 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- RMN, 19 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 16, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 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.