Schleicher ASW-27 N797V

Summary

On 19 July 2011 at about 23:21 local time, a Schleicher ASW-27 registered N797V, operated by Cumiford James H JR, was involved in an accident near Brigham City, Utah, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 July 2011 at 23:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Brigham City, Utah, United States

Coordinates

41.5162, -112.0328

Aircraft

Schleicher ASW-27

Registration

N797V

Category

Glider

Operator

Cumiford James H JR

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Logan → Logan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11CA486

Nobody was injured.

The glider pilot did not take timely action to locate a safe outlanding area after entering an area where atmospheric lift was not sufficient to maintain soaring flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While participating in a soaring contest, the glider pilot entered an area where atmospheric lift was not sufficient. Instead of reversing his course toward better outlanding fields, he continued with the contest course and task. He ultimately ended up in a location where he was forced to attempt an off-airport landing on unsuitable terrain. Immediately upon touchdown, the glider encountered several small boulders that were hidden in the grass, and the left wing tip became snagged in some tall grass, resulting in a loss of directional control. During the resulting ground loop, both wings sustained substantial damage and the empennage tail boom separated from the main part of the fuselage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.