ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39297
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| Date: | Saturday 5 July 1997 |
| Time: | 17:22 LT |
| Type: |  Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2b |
| Owner/operator: | Kenneth R. Olson |
| Registration: | N80077 |
| MSN: | 9 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1983 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 275 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental%20O-470-L |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Hobbs Airpark - KHBB, NM -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | , NM (KHBB) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot had been involved in a week-long Region 9 glider competition. Witnesses reported that approximately halfway to the first check point, a 'low cloud deck moved in from the northeast reducing the available lift.' Witnesses stated that the weather deteriorated to such a degree that 20 of the 38 competing gliders landed-out. As the pilot was flying south towards the approach end of runway 17, approximately 200 feet agl, he turned eastbound. According to witnesses at the destination airport, the pilot radioed that he was going 'to land-out.' A witness near the accident site reported that she 'heard the glider fly overhead and looked up to see it just above her house.' The witness further reported that she saw the glider fly northbound and climb to 'about 2, maybe 3 telephone poles height above the ground.' She said that the glider was 'rocking back and forth like a kite, and then it spun to the left and hit the ground.' The glider fell on some transmission wires as it impacted the ground. The Soaring Society of America's Flight Manual states that in preparation for an off-field landing, the pilot should select a specific field by 1,500 feet agl.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to select an off-field landing site with sufficient time/altitude to perform the landing which led to his failure to maintain airspeed. A factor was the unfavorable wind.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW97FA249
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 12-Oct-2009 10:01 | David Colclasure | Updated |
| 20-Jan-2012 02:07 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 14:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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