ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 204780
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| Date: | Sunday 21 January 2018 |
| Time: | 13:00 LT |
| Type: |  Schleicher ASH 25J |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | VH-GOA |
| MSN: | 25045 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Eglinton-Pipers Airfield, Eglinton, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Pipers Airfield |
| Pipers Airfield | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
At about 12:50 local time on 21 January 2018, a Schleicher ASH-25J (AMT Jet) experimental powered glider, registered VH-GOA, was launched from the Bathurst Soaring Club facilities (Piper’s Field) New South Wales. The experienced pilot intended to conduct a cross-country flight, and was the sole occupant.
Eight minutes into the flight, the glider had climbed to about 2,200 ft in a thermal. Shortly after, it abruptly started to descend and track back towards the airfield. Witnesses saw smoke or liquid trailing from the glider and flames in the area behind the cockpit.
At about 13:00, when at about 1,100 ft AGL, the pilot jettisoned the front-seat canopy but did not exit the glider. Fire engulfed more of the rapidly descending aircraft’s fuselage before it collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude. The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Contributing factors:
- Shortly after launch, an in-flight fire commenced near the engine housing. The ignition source of the fire could not be determined due to severe post-impact fire damage.
- The pilot was probably attempting to return the burning glider to the airfield when it departed controlled flight and collided with terrain.
- The pilot had the necessary equipment to make an emergency exit from the glider and escape the effects of the fire. He jettisoned the glider's canopy but possibly due to incapacitation, did not exit.
Other factors that increased risk
- The glider's cockpit and engine housing were not separated by a firewall. This limited containment of the in-flight fire, resulting in greater exposure of the pilot to fire/smoke and reduced egress time.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
http://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/5180036/plane-crash-near-bathurst-emergency-services-on-scene-photos/
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/glider-aircraft-crash-in-nsw
https://www.miragenews.com/fatal-glider-crash-eglinton-near-bathurst-nsw/
http://bathurstsoaring.org.au
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/pilot-75-killed-in-glider-crash-near-bathurst-20180121-h0lryx.html
https://au.news.yahoo.com/glider-aircraft-crash-in-eglinton-near-bathurst-nsw-38670154.html
Images:
Media:
An experimental jet-powered glider accident highlights need for better fire protection.https://t.co/pe4nNqrg3g pic.twitter.com/Goybqi0ACJ
— ATSB (@atsbinfo) December 17, 2019
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2018 05:32 | Geno | Added |
| 21-Jan-2018 09:09 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Jan-2018 10:21 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Jan-2018 11:10 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, Photo, ] |
| 21-Jan-2018 11:34 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 21-Jan-2018 11:38 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 23-Jan-2018 11:37 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 17-Dec-2019 06:09 | harro | Updated [Phase, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 25-Aug-2020 19:07 | harro | Updated [Embed code, Accident report, ] |
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