Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The glider's encounter with a dust devil during takeoff that resulted in a loss of control.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On April 8, 2001, at 1235 hours mountain standard time, a Schweizer 2-33A, N7778S, sustained substantial damage when it collided with the ground at Pleasant Valley Airport, Peoria, Arizona. Boboquivari Soaring School, d.b.a. Turf Soaring School, was operating the glider under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a glider ride for a prospective student. The commercial pilot was not injured and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The glider was departing at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported that during takeoff the glider encountered a dust devil, causing the left wing to strike the ground. It then lifted the glider 50 feet into the air. The pilot released the tow line and the glider started a slow descending turn to the right until it struck the ground, cracking the fuselage. The glider came to rest next to the runway.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX01LA142