Schleicher ASK-21 N63JJ

Summary

On 30 June 2009 at about 19:15 local time, a Schleicher ASK-21 registered N63JJ, operated by John M Henderson, was involved in an accident near Jean, Nevada, 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

30 June 2009 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Jean, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Jean Airport (0L7)

Coordinates

35.7683, -115.3297

Aircraft

Schleicher ASK-21

Registration

N63JJ

Category

Glider

Operator

John M Henderson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Glider Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jean → Jean

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA479

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider during the initial climb due to an inadvertent encounter with wind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after climbing to about 50 feet above ground level and reaching an airspeed of about 60 knots "...the glider would not continue to climb and immediately began to descend." The pilot stated that he lowered the nose and released the tow rope to land straight ahead, but immediately upon releasing [the tow rope] the left wing raised and the aircraft drifted right between the two runways. The pilot further stated, "In spite of a full left control stick input the glider continued to roll steeply right, and at the same time [I] had the sensation of being blown sideways and that the tail was being lifted up in an uncontrollable nose-down attitude." The pilot reported that the aircraft struck the ground on the right wing tip first, then the front nosewheel, then the tailwheel. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the undercarriage and the empennage. The pilot stated that he thought he had encountered a dust devil that was not in view and to the rear of the glider during takeoff. A witness reported that the glider seemed to be "...pushed down, though making forward progress until it turned steeply right." The pilot reported no anomalies with the glider.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.