Summary
On September 12, 2007, a Schleicher ASW-24E (N24WR) was involved in an incident near Morganton, NC. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed while turning base to final resulting in the left wing contacting the ground.
The pilot stated that after being towed aloft, light winds and light lift existed. He elected to return because he was not flying well, and while turning base to final, the left wing contacted the ground. He further reported that the traffic pattern was entered too low, and the airspeed was not maintained. Additionally, he had not flown the glider in the previous 2 years, and his "Lack of recent flying time is the major factor resulting in poor decisions on landing resulting in major damage to the glider."
This incident is documented in NTSB report MIA07CA151. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N24WR.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed while turning base to final resulting in the left wing contacting the ground.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot stated that after being towed aloft, light winds and light lift existed. He elected to return because he was not flying well, and while turning base to final, the left wing contacted the ground. He further reported that the traffic pattern was entered too low, and the airspeed was not maintained. Additionally, he had not flown the glider in the previous 2 years, and his "Lack of recent flying time is the major factor resulting in poor decisions on landing resulting in major damage to the glider."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA07CA151