On May 29, 1993, a Let L-13 (registration N640RM) operated by Coastal Soaring Associates Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Elberta, AL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to fly without a weather briefing and into known cloud conditions, which resulted in encountering a downdraft that caused loss of control and subsequent ground contact. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A glider pilot encountered a severe downdraft while maneuvering around clouds and managed to arrest the descent, but the left wingtip contacted the ground during a precautionary landing attempt.
What happened
The pilot reported that approximately fifteen minutes into the flight, he decided to return to the departure point. Upon turning eastward, he encountered a cloud layer at an altitude of 4000 feet. While maneuvering around these clouds, the flight encountered a downdraft. At this time, the glider developed a rate of descent of 4000 feet per minute. The pilot managed to arrest the sink rate, but the glider's left wingtip collided with the ground as he was attempting a precautionary landing. No mechanical problems were reported with the glider. The pilot did not receive a weather briefing prior to the flight.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this incident were the severe downdraft encountered while maneuvering in clouds and the lack of a pre-flight weather briefing. These conditions led to an uncontrolled descent that required immediate corrective action, resulting in ground contact despite the pilot's efforts to arrest the sink rate.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to fly without a weather briefing and into known cloud conditions, which resulted in encountering a downdraft that caused loss of control and subsequent ground contact.
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