Schempp Hirth NIMBUS II N96132

Summary

On 13 July 2012 at about 21:30 local time, a Schempp Hirth NIMBUS II registered N96132, operated by John R Bentley, was involved in an accident near Redmond, Oregon, 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

13 July 2012 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Redmond, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Bend Municipal Airport (BDN)

Coordinates

44.2069, -121.3211

Aircraft

Schempp Hirth NIMBUS II

Registration

N96132

Category

Glider

Operator

John R Bentley

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bend → Redmond

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12CA304

Nobody was injured.

A loss of aerodynamic lift that resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, his glider was towed to an altitude of 6,000 feet above mean sea level (msl), which was about 2,600 feet above ground level, and released. The glider achieved an altitude of 7,500 feet msl, and the pilot continued to an area that he normally used for soaring. Once he reached the location, he realized the glider was too low to glide back to the airport and that in order to get to the next available safe field for landing the glider would have to cross a tree line. Upon approach to the trees, the pilot did not think the glider would be able to clear them, so he set up his approach for landing onto a road adjacent to the tree line. On the landing roll the glider’s right wing struck a tree. The pilot reported that the right wing was damaged and that the tail boom had separated. He also stated that there were no mechanical problems with the glider prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.