Pezetel SZD 48-1JANTAR STD 2 N438QA

Summary

On 12 June 2016 at about 18:30 local time, a Pezetel SZD 48-1JANTAR STD 2 registered N438QA was involved in an accident near Maysville, West Virginia, 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

12 June 2016 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Maysville, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

39.0731, -79.2594

Aircraft

Pezetel SZD 48-1JANTAR STD 2

Registration

N438QA

Category

Glider

Year built

1979

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unionville → Unionville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA16CA227

Nobody was injured.

The glider's encounter with insufficient atmospheric lift conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain soaring flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the glider reported that, during a long distance ridgeline soaring flight, he encountered a loss of lift and dropped below the ridgeline. Unable to find another updraft, he was forced to land in an open field with tall grass. As the glider touched down, the landing gear struck a large hole that was concealed by the grass, shearing off the landing gear and causing a ground loop when the left wing struck the ground. The fuselage and tail were substantially damaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.