Pik PIK-20D N32C

Summary

On 19 September 2020 at about 17:27 local time, a Pik PIK-20D registered N32C was involved in an accident near Union, Illinois, 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

19 September 2020 at 17:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Union, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Sky Soaring Airport (55LL)

Coordinates

42.2294, -88.5390

Aircraft

Pik PIK-20D

Registration

N32C

Category

Glider

Year built

1978

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20CA406

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff that resulted in a collision with another glider that was parked close to the departure runway, and the pilot’s improper decision to attempt a takeoff without ensuring he had safe clearance from the parked glider.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while taking off behind the towplane, the glider drifted to the left and impacted the left wing of another glider that was parked on the ground close to the runway and positioned such that its left wing was about 7 ft in the air. The pilot lost control of the glider and the glider subsequently impacted the ground coming to rest inverted. The glider sustained substantial damage to the left wing, aft fuselage, and empennage. The parked glider sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the glider was taking off on runway 09 with wind 110o at 7 knots, gusting to 12 knots. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if they had waited until the other glider had been moved away from the runway before beginning the takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.