Schempp-Hirth VENTUS B/16.6 N176V

Summary

On 11 July 1999 at about 23:30 local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS B/16.6 registered N176V was involved in an accident near Hobbs, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 1999 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hobbs, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

32.7305, -103.1596

Aircraft

Schempp-Hirth VENTUS B/16.6

Registration

N176V

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

DEN99LA117

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning. Factors were the loss of thermal lift, the subsequent stall/spin, and the fence post that he impacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to glider race officials, the pilot was returning to the airport, and was approximately 14 nautical miles out. The pilot said that the lift conditions were deteriorating, and he needed to land-out. He said that he selected a road to land on, but as he approached his landing point, he became aware of transmission wires. He subsequently maneuvered his glider away from the wires, but stalled his aircraft. The pilot said that he caught a wing tip, and the glider rotated into a fence. The glider was broken in half, and the nose and vertical stabilizer were damaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.