Stemme Gmbh & S10 VT N5021

Summary

On 24 August 2016 at about 20:10 local time, a Stemme Gmbh & S10 VT registered N5021 was involved in an accident near Telluride, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 August 2016 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Telluride, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Telluride Regional (TEX)

Coordinates

37.8933, -107.8333

Aircraft

Stemme Gmbh & S10 VT

Registration

N5021

Category

Glider

Year built

1997

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Telluride → Telluride

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16FA331

2 people died.

The pilot's encounter with a downdraft that exceeded the climb performance of the powered glider and resulted in his inability to maintain clearance from the trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly near building clouds and rain shower activity.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a local sightseeing flight at the time of the accident. A witness reported seeing the powered glider climbing out after takeoff and the engine "sounded perfect." He subsequently heard the sound of a "strained engine" similar to a propeller-driven airplane maneuvering during aerobatic flight. Shortly afterward, the sound of the engine stopped. A second witness observed the powered glider fly by with the engine running. It subsequently went out of sight below the tree line. Shortly afterward, he heard a loud noise that he initially attributed to work going on in the area. However, with thoughts of the low flying glider, he decided to drive to a nearby ridge where he observed the accident site. A postaccident examination and engine test run did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Witness statements and satellite imagery indicated that building cumuliform clouds were present near the accident site. Weather radar data depicted a rain shower over the site about the time of the accident that appeared to be dissipating. With dissipating rain shower activity, the glider was in a favorable area for the existence of downdrafts. It is likely that the pilot encountered a downdraft that exceeded the maximum climb performance of the powered glider.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.