Schleicher ASW-27 accident near Ionia, MI
On May 29, 2012, a Schleicher ASW-27 (glider) was involved in an accident near Ionia, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 29, 2012
- Place
- Ionia, MI
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-27 · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.938°N, 85.061°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120530X34302
Official records · CEN12LA330
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On May 29, 2012, about 1535 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-27, N127PC, collided with the ground while maneuvering near the final approach for runway 27 at Ionia County Airport (Y70), Ionia, Michigan. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The glider was registered to Aerodonetics, Inc., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight during a Soaring Society of America (SSA) Region 6 North Super Regional glider competition. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the local flight that originated from Y70 about 1413. A witness stated that he saw the glider returning to Y70 from the east. The glider was traveling at a "very slow speed" and the winds were gusting to 28 knots. As the glider got closer to the airport, it appeared that it side stepped and lined up for a straight-in approach to runway 27 (4,298 by 75 feet, asphalt). The witness stated that about 200 feet [above ground level], instead of deploying spoilers to land, the glider entered into a 90 degree turn to the south as if to "work a thermal" over runway 18/36 (4,261 feet by 340 feet, turf). The wind was pushing the glider "hard." The glider entered a turn to the left as if to enter a left downwind. At this point, the glider's left wing dropped followed by its nose, almost straight down to a northerly heading, while at an altitude that was about three times the height of the nearby trees. The witness stated that it appeare
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper airspeed in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent stall while maneuvering at an altitude that did not provide a margin for recovery.
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Browse: Michigan · Schleicher aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
