Elan Glaser Dirks DG-300 ELAN N300HX

Summary

On 28 August 1995 at about 23:48 local time, a Elan Glaser Dirks DG-300 ELAN registered N300HX was involved in an accident near Truckee, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 1995 at 23:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Truckee, California, United States

Nearest airport

Truckee-Tahoe (TRK)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Elan Glaser Dirks DG-300 ELAN

Registration

N300HX

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

LAX95LA311

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot misjudged his planned approach by selecting a touchdown point close to the runway's approach end that did not provide sufficient clearance to safely maneuver when forcast turbulence and downdrafts were encountered. The pilot's early extension of spoilers was a factor in this accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY TERMINATES IN A STEEP BLUFF WITH A 175-FOOT DROP OFF AT A 70-DEGREE ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE LOW ON THE BASE-TO-FINAL TURN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS 700 FEET HIGHER IN THE PATTERN TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TURBULENCE HE EXPECTED. HE EXTENDED THE SPOILERS AND THEN RETRACTED THEM, AND THEN LOWERED THE NOSE IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE AIRSPEED. ON FINAL, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW THE TERRAIN AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED INTO THE BLUFF. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE IN THE TURN THE AIRSPEED DID NOT INCREASE AS EXPECTED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE PREVAILING WINDS WERE CAUSING TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS CONFIRMED BY THE FAA. THE PILOT HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON THE WIND CONDITIONS AND SAID HE HAD EXPERIENCED THEM PREVIOUSLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.