Townsend H L BRIEGLED BG-12A N6552N

Summary

On 21 May 1994 at about 22:20 local time, a Townsend H L BRIEGLED BG-12A registered N6552N was involved in an accident near Readington, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 1994 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Readington, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Solberg-Hunterdon (N51)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Townsend H L BRIEGLED BG-12A

Registration

N6552N

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC94LA089

1 person died.

The pilot failed to maintain airspeed while maneuvering which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. A factor was the lack of experience in the make and model of glider.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE GLIDER WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES TO BE HIGH ON FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT FIRST SLIPPED AND THEN ENTERED A STEEP RIGHT TURN. WHILE IN THE TURN, THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE GLIDER ENTERED A RIGHT SPIN AND IMPACTED THE TURF RUNWAY. NO MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND WITH THE GLIDER. THE PILOT HAD 89 HOURS, ACCRUED OVER 8 YEARS. HE HAD FLOWN APPROX 4 HOURS OVER 11 FLIGHTS IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS, INCLUDING 1 HOUR AND 3 FLIGHTS IN THE ACCIDENT GLIDER, ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT GLIDER WAS EQUIPPED WITH WING FLAPS, BUT NO SPEED BRAKES OR SPOILERS. ALL PREVIOUS FLIGHTS HAD BEEN IN GLIDERS WITH SPOILERS OR SPEED BRAKES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.