Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2CT N710JC
24 September 2015 · Blacksburg, Virginia, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 24 September 2015 at about 18:52 local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2CT registered N710JC was involved in an accident near Blacksburg, Virginia, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 18:52
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
- Coordinates
- 37.1558, -80.3244
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2CT
- Registration
- N710JC
- Category
- Glider
- Year built
- 2012
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Blacksburg → Blacksburg
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA15LA375
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
A loss of thermal lift during a motor glider flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from power lines during the off-airport landing attempt.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was flying the motor glider in an annual soaring competition. The pilot reported that the motor glider was towed to 2,500 ft and then released. He subsequently performed a routine test of the engine and observed no anomalies; he then shut down the engine and stowed it before beginning the first leg of the competition. About 20 miles from the departure airport, the motor glider began losing altitude due to a loss of thermal lift, and the pilot then prepared for an off-airport landing. He deployed the retractable engine and attempted to start it but was unsuccessful. The pilot set up for landing to a field. He did not see power lines bordering the approach end of the field, and the motor glider impacted the power lines and then descended to the ground in a nose-down attitude.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schempp-Hirth VENTUS accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 2015 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2C | Hobbs, New Mexico, United States | KEITH MILLER and DAVID Van Der LINDEN | No injuries | - |
| 18 Feb 2014 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2B | Burnsville, North Carolina, United States | Campbell JAY D | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Jun 2013 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-2B | Corona, New Mexico, United States | Paynter G Frank | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 May 2012 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2CT | Duncansville, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 2019 | Schempp Hirth VENTUS 2A | Wurtsboro, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Oct 2010 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS B/16.6 | Warren, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Sep 2015 | Cessna 177 | Moneta, Virginia, United States | DAP Imaging, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Feb 2015 | Piper PA 18-150 | Brookneal, Virginia, United States | Liberty University School of Aeronautics | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Feb 2015 | Autogyro CALIDUS | Crozet, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Nov 2015 | U-Fly-It AEROLITE 103 | Midland, Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 2015 | Cessna 182 | Hot Springs, Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Mooney M20F | Norfolk, Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |