Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOT'S POOR IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. THE LACK OF THERMAL LIFT WAS A FACTOR.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On May 21, 1995, at 1445 central daylight time, a Purdy HP-18, N15DP, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hempstead, Texas. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight.
The pilot reported the following information to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The glider began descending due to the lack of thermal lifting. When the glider had descended below 1000 feet above ground level (AGL), the pilot made the decision to make a landing to an open field. During the landing roll the glider's left wing struck a hay bale, causing substantial damage to the wing.
The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Report that this accident could have been prevented by having "a landing spot and pattern set up prior to descending below 1000 feet AGL."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW95LA209