Glaser-Dirks DG-400 accident near Volcano, HI
On January 16, 2009, a Glaser-Dirks DG-400 (glider) was involved in an accident near Volcano, HI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 16, 2009
- Place
- Volcano, HI
- Aircraft
- Glaser-Dirks DG-400 · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 19.481°N, 155.440°W
- NTSB ID
- 20090117X00043
Official records · WPR09FA089
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 16, 2009, about 1300 Hawaiian standard time, an experimental Glaser-Dirks DG-400 motor-glider, N777WN, collided with mountainous terrain on the southwestern slope of Mauna Loa mountain, near Volcano, Hawaii, following an in-flight structural failure. The airline transport pilot operated the motor-glider under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot was killed, and the motor-glider was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Waimea-Kohala Airport, Kamuela, Hawaii, about 1000. A member of the Mauna Kea Soaring Club that the pilot belonged to stated that the flight was an attempt to set an altitude record. The pilot's glider had been towed to 12,600 feet mean sea level (msl) and released about 1028. Around 1245, the pilot radioed that he was in the primary wave, climbing at 1,000 feet per minute, and was at 28,000 feet (msl). He then stated that he was going to crossover to Mauna Loa. At 1644, when the pilot had not returned to Waimea-Kohala Airport at the designated time, the US Coast Guard was notified of an overdue aircraft. On January 17th, approximately 1300, search aircraft identified debris at the 10,000-foot level, on the southwest face of Mauna Loa. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 69, held an airline transport pilot certificate for airplane multiengine land, commercial privileges for airplane single engine land, and glider, issued on May 10, 2005. He also held a flight engineer's certificate issued on July 1, 1967, and was type
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of pitch control and subsequent exceedance of the glider's airspeed limit for undetermined reasons.
More accidents in HI
- Beech 65-A90, Jun 22, 2019
- Piper PA-31-350, Sep 26, 1999
- Boeing 747-122, Feb 24, 1989
- Beech E18S, Apr 23, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Dec 24, 1987
Browse: Hawaii
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
