Accident Schempp-Hirth Discus 2b N15MM,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 65335
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Sunday 8 May 2005
Time:17:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic DISC model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Schempp-Hirth Discus 2b
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N15MM
MSN: 129
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Peoria, AZ -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Peoria, AZ (KP48)
Destination airport:Peoria, AZ (KP48)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The glider was damaged during a forced landing 1.5 miles south of the landing strip in rocky desert terrain. The pilot was on a circular cross-country flight designed to depart, and then return to the same airport. Along the route there were numerous navigation turn points to maintain a proper track on the course. About 250 miles into the flight, and at the second to last turn point, the pilot determined that he did not have enough altitude to make it to the last turn point before heading back to the airport. His flight computer indicated that he had enough altitude to go directly to the destination airport with a 1,000-foot altitude margin. While returning he encountered some downward subsiding air of about 7-8 knots (700-800 feet per minute downdraft). At this point he determined that he would not make it to the destination airport and decided to divert to an auxiliary dirt landing strip to make a precautionary landing. The pilot did not make it all the way to the auxiliary strip and landed about 1.5 miles south, in rocky desert terrain. The pilot stated that the glider had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Probable Cause: the glider pilot encountered a downdraft that forced him to land in rough terrain.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX05CA161
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20050601X00706&key=1

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-Jun-2009 06:38 David Colclasure Added
21-Dec-2016 19:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
06-Dec-2017 08:12 ASN Update Bot Updated [Cn, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org