Summary
On May 26, 2014, a Schleicher ASW 27 (N137ED) was involved in an incident near Cedar Valley, UT. 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in inadvertent terrain contact by the wing.
The pilot reported that while being towed behind a tow airplane for takeoff, there was a slight drop of the right wing. The pilot corrected with aileron control to level the wings and at this point, the left wing may have come in contact with the grass on the runway, which provided enough drag to turn the glider 180 degrees to the left. During the turn, the safety link released. The glider then rolled backwards before coming to rest. Postaccident examination of the left wing revealed that the left aileron was substantially damaged and had separated from its mounts in the wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR14CA213. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N137ED.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in inadvertent terrain contact by the wing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that while being towed behind a tow airplane for takeoff, there was a slight drop of the right wing. The pilot corrected with aileron control to level the wings and at this point, the left wing may have come in contact with the grass on the runway, which provided enough drag to turn the glider 180 degrees to the left. During the turn, the safety link released. The glider then rolled backwards before coming to rest. Postaccident examination of the left wing revealed that the left aileron was substantially damaged and had separated from its mounts in the wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR14CA213