Marion Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marion, Ohio 45840
Saturday, August 12, 2000 16:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The homebuilt glider was towed to, and released at, 2,000 feet agl. While circling to the left in a thermal, a gust lifted the glider's right wing and flipped the glider inverted. The glider then quickly entered a spiral dive. The pilot stated, 'The speed built so quickly that I determined it was near red line and a bailout was a better option than having it breakup in the air at low altitude.' The pilot elected to egress from the glider and parachuted to the ground without incident. The unoccupied glider then impacted in a bean field, and was destroyed. The pilot stated he experience no mechanical problems with the glider. Another glider pilot in the accident area stated he experienced strong thermals and the wind aloft was about 18 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider. Factors in this accident were the strong crosswinds, and thermals, which existed during the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MARION
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45840
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MARION MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MNN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 993
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID MNN
Elevation of weather observation facility 993
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 630
NTSB Notification Source Columbus Ohio
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGELQ
NTSB Number NYC00LA230
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Redsell
Aircraft Model WINDROSE
Aircraft Series Identifier WINDROSE
Aircraft Serial Number MAT-134
Certified Max Gross Weight 760
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 20
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MATHEW J. REDSELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City MARION
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45840
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MNN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --