ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 278684
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 15 July 2021 |
| Time: | 16:00 LT |
| Type: |  Schleicher ASW 27-18 |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | N129MG |
| MSN: | 29081 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2012 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 472 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Sterling, Massachusetts -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Sterling, MA |
| Sterling, MA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
According to the pilot, there was a slight depression in the narrow, paved strip used for glider takeoffs, and that during the takeoff roll, the left wing 'flexed†and 'dipped†such that the wingtip contacted the turf which created the pivot point around which the glider 'ground-looped†which fractured the empennage aft of the cockpit.
The pilot added that there had been '3 weeks of heavy rain†prior to the day of the accident and that the grass on either side of the takeoff strip was longer than usual, which reduced his wingtip clearance. He stated that while he had successfully departed the strip earlier that day, a lower grass height would have lowered his risk exposure during the takeoff run.
The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain the glider's stability in the roll axis during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a dragged wingtip and ground loop.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA21LA329
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Jun-2022 12:34 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation