History of Flight
On July 23, 2008, at approximately 1225 central daylight time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus-A glider, registration N47JD, impacted terrain about two miles south of the Texas Soaring Association (TSA) Gliderport (TA11) in Midlothian, Texas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the glider was destroyed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight originated from TA11.
The pilot was flying a recreational flight while providing pre-contest soaring condition reports for a competition at TA11, though he was not officially associated with the competition. Witnesses reported the glider appeared to fly normally before it abruptly climbed, nosed over into a steep dive, and disappeared from view in a forested area. Recovered flight data from an onboard recording device substantiated these observations.
Pilot Information
The 85-year-old pilot held an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land and sea, and a commercial pilot certificate with a glider rating. His last FAA second-class medical was issued on August 30, 1996. He had reported 10,633 total flight hours on that application. The pilot began flying gliders in 1938, had won eleven National Gliding Championships, and had been a member of the United States Soaring Team during ten World Soaring Championships.
Aircraft Information
The 1981-model Schempp-Hirth Ventus-A, serial number 29, was a mid-wing glider with retractable nose landing gear, configured for one occupant. It was classified as Experimental in Racing and Exhibition categories. The most recent inspection was completed on April 1, 2008, with an airframe total time of 5008.8 hours.
Flight Data Recorder
The glider was equipped with a Volkslogger flight data recorder. Data showed a 16-minute and 36-second flight from TA11, starting at 1208:23 CDT and ending at 1224:59 CDT. During the final two minutes, the glider made several steep descents and climbs, ending with a loss of approximately 1,700 feet in about 20 seconds.
Meteorological Information
At 1245 CDT, the weather observation facility at Midlothian, Texas (KJWY) reported wind from 100 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, temperature 90°F, dew point 68°F, and barometric pressure 29.99 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact
The wreckage was located in a wooded area 2.25 miles south of TA11, with a debris field approximately 175 feet long and 50 feet wide on a magnetic heading of 190 degrees. Initial impact was about 12 feet above ground in a mesquite tree. The right wing separated near the wing root, and the left wing was partially attached. The empennage separated and was found 76 feet from the initial impact point. Control systems showed multiple fractures with 45-degree shear and broom-straw characteristics; continuity was established for aileron, elevator, airbrake, and rudder controls.
Medical Information
The pilot had visited his cardiologist six days before the accident, reporting dizziness and left arm pain. A stress echocardiogram indicated stress-induced wall motion abnormalities suggesting ischemia. The cardiologist planned left heart catheterization. Autopsy revealed severe coronary artery disease, with up to 90% stenosis in the left anterior descending coronary artery. The cause of death was blunt force injuries. Toxicology tests were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs. A prescription for Nitroquick .4mg was found at the scene.