ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 248873
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| Date: | Tuesday 16 March 2021 |
| Time: | 11:52 LT |
| Type: |  Schempp-Hirth Mini-Nimbus C |
| Owner/operator: | Thermal Research Corporation |
| Registration: | N16MG |
| MSN: | 104 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1503 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lake County, Seminole Lake Gliderport (6FL0), Groveland, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Groveland, FL |
| Groveland, FL | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On the day of the accident, the pilot was participating in a glider competition event. During the takeoff roll under aerotow, the glider yawed to the left as the left wingtip dropped to the ground. As the glider approached an access road east of the runway, the pilot attempted to release from the tow plane; however, his hand slipped off the release handle. He was subsequently able to release from the tow plane and attempted to turn and stop but was unsuccessful. The glider struck an unoccupied parked pickup truck. The pilot was seriously injured, and the glider sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and right wing.
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. If the pilot's initial attempt to release from the tow plane had been successful, it likely would have allowed him more time to reduce speed or change course before the collision. The reason for the left yaw was not identified.
The truck was parked in or near a strip along the left side of the runway that was to remain clear of personal vehicles during landing operations. Had the truck instead been parked in the designated parking area, the collision may have been prevented or its severity may have been reduced.
Probable Cause: The pilot's unsuccessful initial attempt to release from the tow plane at the start of an unstable takeoff roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a parked vehicle. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the vehicle's proximity to the active runway.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA21LA156
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=16MG
Location
Images:
Seminole Lake Gliderport, Wednesday 3/17/21
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Mar-2021 12:49 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 17-Mar-2021 14:56 | Geno | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 24-Mar-2021 06:52 | Anon. | Updated [Photo] |
| 11-Jun-2023 08:45 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [[Photo]] |
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