N747JN

Substantial
Serious

Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4MS/N: 14

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, May 4, 2008
NTSB Number
SEA08CA122
Location
Ephrata, WA
Event ID
20080602X00759
Coordinates
47.308055, -119.516670
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
1
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to connect the left aileron control rod during assembly.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
SCHEMPP-HIRTH
Serial Number
14
Engine Type
2-cycle
Year Built
2000
Model / ICAO
Nimbus-4MNIMB
Aircraft Type
Glider
No. of Engines
1
Seats
1
FAA Model
NIMBUS-4M

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
FUNSTON CRAIG S
Address
1700 ELDRIDGE AVE
City
BELLINGHAM
State / Zip Code
WA 98225-2805
Country
United States

Analysis

This was the first flight after removal of the glider from storage and its reassembly. The pilot reported that during takeoff initial climb, the glider started to roll to the left despite his control inputs. He decided to abort the takeoff and land straight ahead while attempting to maintain control of the powered glider. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground and the glider began to cart wheel. Examination of the airframe revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged and the empennage was partially separated. Examination of the flight control system revealed that the left aileron connecting rod was disconnected at the fuselage/wing quick connection point and was undamaged. The pilot stated that during assembly of the glider prior to the flight, the left aileron control tube was inadvertently not attached and that he did not verify that all flight controls moved free and correct prior to takeoff.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA08CA122