Glaser Dirks DG 300 ELAN N300GG

Summary

On 25 August 2019 at about 22:03 local time, a Glaser Dirks DG 300 ELAN registered N300GG was involved in an accident near Wilkeson, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 2019 at 22:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Wilkeson, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Burnett (Wn15)

Coordinates

47.1292, -122.0558

Aircraft

Glaser Dirks DG 300 ELAN

Registration

N300GG

Category

Glider

Year built

1984

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Enumclaw → Enumclaw

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19FA241

1 person died.

The pilot’s delayed decision to land following a loss of thermal lift, which resulted in collision with trees during the landing approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the glider had flown for about 1 hour and 20 minutes when he arrived in the vicinity of an airport other than his departure airport and reported to another glider pilot via radio that he was “looking for lift.” Information from an onboard flight recorder indicated that the pilot flew about 4 miles south of the airport before turning back toward the airport; circling several times in areas of lift, but generally descending until arriving over the airport at an altitude of about 565 ft above ground level. Witnesses at the airport saw the glider circling the airport several times before its landing gear was lowered and the glider flew toward the runway. During the landing approach, the glider impacted trees and descended to the ground in a steep, nose-down attitude. Examination of the glider revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s continued circling over the airport in an attempt to find lift. His delayed decision to land resulted in a low landing approach path and subsequent impact with trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.