Summary
On June 22, 2017, a Schempp-hirth DISCUS 2B (N21TH) was involved in an accident near Bishop, CA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s exceedance of the glider’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering over rising mountainous terrain, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
The pilot of the glider reported that, while circling over rising mountainous terrain in search of thermals, he approached a "ridge right in front of me [him]." He added that, at that moment, "the [flight] controls went soft [and] I [he] could see that I [he] was [aerodynamically] stalled and plummeting toward the terrain and trees below." He further added that, he "pointed the [glider's] nose down at a steep angle" to gain airspeed, but the glider impacted trees and steep terrain.
The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
This accident is documented in NTSB report GAA17CA368. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N21TH.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s exceedance of the glider’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering over rising mountainous terrain, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot of the glider reported that, while circling over rising mountainous terrain in search of thermals, he approached a "ridge right in front of me [him]." He added that, at that moment, "the [flight] controls went soft [and] I [he] could see that I [he] was [aerodynamically] stalled and plummeting toward the terrain and trees below." He further added that, he "pointed the [glider's] nose down at a steep angle" to gain airspeed, but the glider impacted trees and steep terrain.
The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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# GAA17CA368