SCHLEICHER ASW 20B
Logan, UT — August 2, 2015
Event Information
| Date | August 2, 2015 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR15LA232 |
| Event ID | 20150804X20736 |
| Location | Logan, UT |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 41.80028, -111.75389 |
| Airport | LOGAN-CACHE |
| Highest Injury | SERS |
Aircraft
| Make | SCHLEICHER |
| Model | ASW 20B |
| Category | GLI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 1 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain glider control when it encountered a strong downdraft while maneuvering near a ridgeline.
Full Narrative
On August 2, 2015, about 1500 mountain daylight time, a Schleicher ASW 20B glider, N20YZ, experienced a loss of lift during cruise flight, and impacted terrain near Logan, Utah. The private pilot owned and operated the glider under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot was seriously injured. The glider sustained substantial damage throughout the fuselage and wings. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that departed the Logan-Cache Airport (LGU), Logan, at 1430. No flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported that he was participating in a mountain flying training course when the glider encountered a strong downdraft while maneuvering near a mountain ridge, and lost lift. The pilot was unable to arrest the glider's rate of descent, and the left wing impacted a tree. The pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the glider.
Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing was completely separated from the fuselage, and the right wing partially separated from the fuselage. The empennage forward of the vertical stabilizer was separated from the fuselage.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.