Glasflugel STD Libelle 201B accident near Oso, WA
On April 2, 2004, a Glasflugel STD Libelle 201B (glider) was involved in an accident near Oso, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- April 2, 2004
- Place
- Oso, WA
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel STD Libelle 201B · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 48.240°N, 121.900°W
- NTSB ID
- 20040414X00461
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 1, 2004, about 1700 Pacific standard time, a Glasflugel STD Libelle 201B, N161D, and a Glaser-Dirks DG-400, N400WJ, experienced a mid-air collision while maneuvering over mountainous terrain located about three nautical miles south of Oso, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed by the pilot of either glider. The pilot of the Glasflugel received minor injuries while the pilot of the Glaser-Dirks was fatally injured. The pilot of the Glasflugel reported that he departed from Arlington Municipal Airport, Arlington, Washington, about 1130, while the pilot of the Glaser-Dirks departed from the same airport about 1600. When neither glider returned to the airport, a member of the glider club contacted Washington State Department of Transportation Search and Rescue at 2020 and a search was initiated. On April 2, 2004, about 0100, the pilot of the Glasflugel, who had walked out of the mountains, was able to call 911 to report the accident. With the aid of the pilot of the Glasflugel, the wreckage of both gliders were located on Mount Wheeler by 1020 that same day. The pilot of the Glasflugel reported that he met up with the pilot of the Glaser-Dirks near Boulder Ridge and they flew back to the bowl of White Chuck and Three Fingers Mountain. The two gliders found a thermal and circled to altitude to glide to Wheeler Mountain. Both pilots were in radio contact. The pilot reported that the ridge line they were following runs predominantly in a north-south direction. Both gliders were running in a single
Probable cause
The pilot of the Glaser-Dirks (lead glider) failure to maintain clearance form the Glasflugel (trailing glider) resulting in a mid-air collision while maneuvering.
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Browse: Washington
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
