Schleicher ASW28 N128ED

Summary

On 21 June 2003 at about 19:20 local time, a Schleicher ASW28 registered N128ED was involved in an accident near Batesburg, South Carolina, 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

21 June 2003 at 19:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Batesburg, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

33.8444, -81.5489

Aircraft

Schleicher ASW28

Registration

N128ED

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Perry → Perry

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL03LA112

1 person was seriously injured.

The loss of thermal lifting action that resulted in the in-flight collision with trees during an attempted forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that the thermals became weak, the glider began to lose altitude, and landing became imminent. The pilot stated that he headed to a "clear green area beyond a stand of trees." The glider contacted trees before coming to rest on the ground in a nose low attitude. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the glider prior to the flight. Examination of the wreckage revealed the right wing was cracked at the root and the left wing separated from the fuselage at the root. The fuselage was crushed from the nose section aft to the pilot's station and the canopy was shattered. The empennage was separated from the tail section forward of the tail assembly. According to the pilot, all contest participants received a weather briefing during the initial race briefing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.