No fatalities

26 May 2014: SCHLEICHER ASW 27 — URBANCZYK KIRK M — Cedar Valley, UT

Cedar Valley, UT, United States

On 26 May 2014, a SCHLEICHER ASW 27 operated by URBANCZYK KIRK M was involved in an aviation accident near Cedar Valley, UT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in inadvertent terrain contact by the wing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a tow for takeoff, a glider's left wing contacted grass, causing a 180-degree turn. The safety link released, and the glider rolled backwards. Postaccident examination found substantial damage to the left aileron.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during a tow behind a tow airplane for takeoff, the right wing dropped slightly. The pilot applied aileron control to level the wings. At that point, the left wing may have contacted the grass on the runway. This contact created enough drag to turn the glider 180 degrees to the left. During the turn, the safety link released. The glider then rolled backwards before coming to rest.

Damage and Examination

A postaccident examination of the left wing revealed substantial damage to the left aileron, which had separated from its mounts in the wing.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotLateral/bank control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome