Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B N114RP

Summary

On 7 September 2002 at about 23:15 local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B registered N114RP was involved in an accident near Peoria, Arizona, 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

7 September 2002 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Peoria, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.0353, -112.0428

Aircraft

Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B

Registration

N114RP

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Peoria → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX02LA277

1 person died.

The pilot's abrupt maneuver, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The glider pilot radioed to an FBO that he would be attempting a landing to a boat ramp near a lake. Witnesses at the lake reported that they initially observed the glider flying west, "very low" over the lake. A few witnesses, who were in boats and heading west toward the boat ramps, reported that the glider passed directly overhead and was between 100 and 300 feet above the water. The glider initiated a climbing left turn, stalled and, subsequently, impacted the lake. A review of the maintenance logbooks and examination of the glider by an FAA inspector did not reveal any pre-existing anomalies with the glider.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.