Glasflugel H-301 N1263

Summary

On 15 September 2008 at about 19:00 local time, a Glasflugel H-301 registered N1263, operated by Rudolf K. Braun, was involved in an accident near Blairstown, New Jersey, 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

15 September 2008 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Blairstown, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Blairstown (NJ)

Coordinates

40.9711, -74.9972

Aircraft

Glasflugel H-301

Registration

N1263

Category

Glider

Operator

Rudolf K. Braun

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Blairstown → Blairstown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA08CA194

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadvertent retraction of flaps during the landing flare.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated he was conducting a personal flight and flew around the local area before returning to his departure airport. He entered a left downwind for runway 25 and completed his before-landing checks. The winds were reported to be out of the west at 16 knots gusting to 26 knots. He lowered flaps, extended the speed brakes, and turned on final approach. The landing flare was initiated over the runway and he reached over to retract the speed brakes, and inadvertently retracted the flaps. The glider collided with the runway hard and came to a stop. The pilot exited the glider without assistance and without injury. Examination of the glider revealed that the tail section of the glider received structural damage. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the glider before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.