Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE N3872

Summary

On 26 July 2009 at about 22:25 local time, a Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE registered N3872 was involved in an accident near Faribault, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 July 2009 at 22:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Faribault, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Faribault Municipal Airport (FBL)

Coordinates

44.3275, -93.3272

Aircraft

Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE

Registration

N3872

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Faribault → Faribault

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA475

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inability to maintain proper airspeed on approach to land.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported no anomalies with the glider's flight controls during the preflight inspections that preceded two flights on the day of the accident. The first flight was 40 minutes in duration and no anomalies were noted with the glider. The second flight, which was the accident flight, was about 2 1/2 hours in duration. When the pilot completed a before-landing check of the dive brakes, the closure of the dive brakes was normal. During the downwind leg of the approach, the dive brakes were extended and locked in place. The pilot stated that during the dive brake extension, they "seemed difficult to open, as sometimes happens" in the accident glider. The pilot stated that the dive brakes could not be retracted during the approach and that she had to fly a closer traffic pattern to land on the runway, resulting in a steep approach. The right wing tip struck the ground and the glider experienced a hard landing on the grass landing area adjacent to Runway 30. Damage to the glider included a fuselage separation several feet forward of the empennage, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident photos of the glider show the dive brakes retracted. The pilot received minor injuries. The pilot stated the dive brakes operated normally after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.