Summary
On May 30, 2018, a Schleicher ASW (N428US) was involved in an incident near Nephi, 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 glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, which resulted in a hard off-airport landing.
The pilot of the glider reported that, while enroute on a local flight, the "lift died" and he decided to return to the departure airport. He was about 3-4 miles from the airport when the glider experienced a "moderate to severe sink" and decided to set up to land in a nearby field. At approximately 200 ft. above the ground, the glider encountered a strong updraft that lasted 15-30 seconds, and "even with full spoilers, it was obvious [he] would not be able to land". He stowed the spoilers, pitched up slightly and focused on another landing site.
The pilot further reported, that during touchdown at the alternate landing site, he noticed there were "sprinkler pipes and wheels".
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA314. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N428US.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, which resulted in a hard off-airport landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot of the glider reported that, while enroute on a local flight, the "lift died" and he decided to return to the departure airport. He was about 3-4 miles from the airport when the glider experienced a "moderate to severe sink" and decided to set up to land in a nearby field. At approximately 200 ft. above the ground, the glider encountered a strong updraft that lasted 15-30 seconds, and "even with full spoilers, it was obvious [he] would not be able to land". He stowed the spoilers, pitched up slightly and focused on another landing site.
The pilot further reported, that during touchdown at the alternate landing site, he noticed there were "sprinkler pipes and wheels". He added, "it looked like [he] would still hit the sprinkler pipes", so, to avoid the industrial farm sprinklers ahead, the pilot abruptly pitched the nose down and landed hard on the field.
The glider sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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# GAA18CA314