Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2C N172VC

Summary

On 23 June 2015 at about 23:30 local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2C registered N172VC, operated by KEITH MILLER and DAVID Van Der LINDEN, was involved in an accident near Hobbs, New Mexico, 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

23 June 2015 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hobbs, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Industrial Airpark (NM83)

Coordinates

32.7794, -103.2222

Aircraft

Schempp-Hirth VENTUS 2C

Registration

N172VC

Category

Glider

Year built

1996

Operator

KEITH MILLER and DAVID Van Der LINDEN

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Race/Show

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hobbs → Hobbs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA133

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper compensation for gusty wind conditions which resulted in impact with terrain short of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing on the runway 12 ramp area and entered the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern at 1000 feet above the ground. The pilot reported that downdrafts caused the glider's rapid loss of altitude and was unable to reach the landing area. The pilot landed in a field northwest of the airport where the glider impacted a mesquite bush with the left wing and ground looped. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, canopy, and left wing. Runway 12 is 8,810 feet long by 150 feet wide. The ramp area that parallels the runway to the north side is 7500 feet long by 350 feet wide. A weather reporting station five miles south of the accident site reported wind from 140 degrees at17 knots and gusting to 24 knots prior to the accident. A review of local weather data showed there were no strong lifting mechanisms for the formation of clouds or precipitation near the surface at the time of the accident and the pilot likely encountered gusty surface wind while descending to the airport. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.