Rolladen-Schneider LSIF SAILPLANE N17EW

Summary

On 28 May 1990 at about 20:10 local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LSIF SAILPLANE registered N17EW was involved in an accident near Mayville, New York, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 May 1990 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Mayville, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.2505, -79.4998

Aircraft

Rolladen-Schneider LSIF SAILPLANE

Registration

N17EW

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC90LA114

1 person had minor injuries.

JAMMED FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FLIGHT DUE TO A BENT AILERON PUSH-ROD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR OVER TWO HOURS AND WAS MANEUVERED IN A LEFT TURN, IN A THERMAL WITH SOME TURBULENCE WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WENT FULL LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE STICK FREE AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. HE JETTISONED THE CANOPY, EXITED THE GLIDER, AND DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING ITS UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. POST CRASH EXAMINATION BY THE FAA DISCLOSED THE AILERON PUSH ROD ON THE LEFT WING WAS BENT IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THIS OCCURRED DURING DISASSEMBLY WHEN THE WINGS WERE REMOVED FOR STORAGE ON A TRAILER. THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING WAS ALLOWED TO DROP, WHICH BENT THE PUSH ROD UPWARD. WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WAS MOVED TO FULL LEFT, THE RIVET ON TOP OF THE AILERON PUSH ROD MADE CONTACT WITH THE COLLAR AROUND THE AILERON PUSH ROD AND THE AILERON CONTROL JAMMED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.