Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS N4664

Summary

On 5 September 2010 at about 20:40 local time, a Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS registered N4664, operated by Hawkins TIM J, was involved in an accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, 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

5 September 2010 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Moriarty, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

34.9856, -106.0094

Aircraft

Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS

Registration

N4664

Category

Glider

Operator

Hawkins TIM J

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Moriarty → Moriarty

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10CA542

1 person had minor injuries.

The inadvertent opening of the cockpit canopy for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While being towed aloft behind an airplane, the glider’s cockpit canopy inadvertently opened. The glider pilot released from tow and attempted to close the canopy to no avail. The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for landing about 20 minutes later. While on final approach, the pilot was unable to activate the dive brakes to shorten the landing distance due to her left hand being used to hold the canopy down. The glider crossed the runway threshold around 300 feet above ground level, and continued past the end of the runway for approximately one mile before she performed an off-airport landing. During landing the glider’s right wing impacted a fence post, resulting in structural damage. The reason for the inadvertent canopy opening was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.