Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ephrata, Washington 98823
Monday, June 29, 2009 14:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was preparing for a glider competition with other glider pilots. Witnesses were flying their gliders in the area and reported seeing the glider thermalling, then entering a spin to the right. During the spin, the rotation increased into a rapid rotation and then into a graveyard spiral. One witness reported that during the second spiral rotation the outboard wingtip panels arched upward. Following the flexing of the wings, it appeared that they “...disintegrated...The wings looked like they exploded.” The witness did not see a parachute. Examination of the glider revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. Toxicological evaluation of tissue samples from the pilot were consistent with the use of marijuana and of diazepam (a prescription anti-anxiety medication also known by the trade name Valium) at some time prior to the accident, but no blood was available for analysis and no estimate could be made of when the substances were last used or whether the pilot may have been impaired by their use.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the glider during flight and his exceedance of the glider’s design limits during an attempted recovery from a spin.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/29/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1415 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ephrata |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98823 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 473246N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1193512W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 350 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EPH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1276 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26605 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Northwest FAA Com Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 11 2010 7:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N129TD |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA318 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ALEXANDER SCHLEICHER GMBH & CO |
| Aircraft Model | ASW 27-18E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 29567 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1322 |
| Aircraft Category | Glider |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 13 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 0 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Emerald Eagle LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 921 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Charlestown |
| Aircraft Owner State | NH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 03603-0921 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Timothy Donovan |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Charlestown |
| Operator State | NH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 03603 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EPH |
| Departure City | Ephrata |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1315 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | EPH |
| Destination City | Ephrata |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 11 2010 7:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |