Schempp Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS N271BL

Summary

On 7 April 2020 at about 18:00 local time, a Schempp Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS registered N271BL was involved in an accident near Groveland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 April 2020 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Groveland, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Seminole Lake (6FL0)

Coordinates

28.4114, -81.8353

Aircraft

Schempp Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS

Registration

N271BL

Category

Glider

Year built

1972

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Groveland → Groveland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA145

1 person died.

The pilot’s exceedance of the glider’s critical angle of attack following his premature termination of the tow for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin during a turn back to the departure airport.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the tow pilot, while climbing through about 500 ft above the ground during takeoff, they encountered an area of turbulence and the glider got “low on the tow” and out of view in his mirror. He then felt the glider release from the tow. Witnesses stated that the glider released from the tow at "low" altitude and turned back toward the gliderport when the nose of the glider pointed “down," and the glider descended vertically from view. Examination of the wreckage confirmed continuity to all flight control surfaces and revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. Review of the pilot’s logbook revealed a total of 49 flights. Of those flights, 44 were performed in two-seat gliders. The pilot had recorded five flights in the accident glider, all of which included an aerotow to a release altitude of either 2,500 or 3,000 ft agl. There was no evidence to indicate that the pilot had performed any simulated takeoff emergencies in the accident glider make and model. A number of different mechanical, operational, and environmental factors can result in an early termination of a tow; however, the reason the pilot terminated the tow could not be determined based on available evidence. Witness descriptions of the glider’s flight after release are consistent with the pilot exceeding the critical angle of attack while maneuvering toward the runway, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.