N438QA – PEZETEL SZD 48-1JANTAR STD 2 – 2016-06-12 NTSB Accident Report

On June 12, 2016, a Pezetel SZD 48-1JANTAR STD 2 (N438QA) was involved in an incident near Maysville, WV. 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 glider's encounter with insufficient atmospheric lift conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain soaring flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing.

The pilot of the glider reported that during a long distance ridgeline soaring flight, he encountered a loss of lift and dropped below the ridgeline. Unable to find another updraft, he was forced to land in an open field, with tall grass. As the glider touched down, the landing gear struck a large hole that was concealed by the grass, shearing off the landing gear and causing a ground loop when the left wing struck the ground. The fuselage and tail were substantially damaged.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA16CA227. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N438QA.