History of Flight
On April 14, 2018, at approximately 1540 eastern daylight time, an SZD-48 Jantar Standard 2 glider, registration N456RM, sustained substantial damage after impacting the ground near LaBelle Municipal Airport in LaBelle, Florida. The private pilot, who was also the owner and operator, was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
A witness who assisted the pilot in assembling the glider reported that the assembly was normal. After attaching the wings to the fuselage, a positive control check was completed. The glider was then connected to the tow rope of the tow airplane and positioned on runway 14.
The tow pilot, who had towed the glider pilot for the previous five years, stated that radio communication was established before takeoff. The glider pilot requested a left break after takeoff as a precaution in case of tow rope failure, and requested to be towed to 3,000 feet above the field before release. The tow pilot acknowledged both requests.
During the initial climb, when the glider was about 200 feet above ground level (agl), the tow pilot noticed excessive slack in the tow rope and observed the glider moving more than usual. The tow pilot initiated a shallow right turn to keep the glider upwind and reduce slack, but the slack persisted, affecting the glider's airspeed. At approximately 400 feet agl, the glider encountered a thermal, began climbing rapidly, and lifted the tail of the tow airplane. As the tow pilot prepared to release the glider, it released automatically. The tow pilot continued straight ahead in level flight to avoid the glider and then observed the glider about 200 feet below in a spin. The glider continued spinning until it impacted the ground.
Data from a Nano flight data recorder onboard the glider showed that at 400 feet agl, the airspeed was 75 knots. The glider reached a maximum altitude of 485 feet about 12 seconds later, then descended to 472 feet about 6 seconds later, at which point the airspeed reached its minimum of about 55 knots. No further flight data were recorded.
Personnel Information
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multiengine land, glider, and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate with ratings for single-engine land and glider. On his most recent FAA third-class medical certificate application, dated May 18, 2017, he reported 25,000 total flight hours, including 71 hours in the previous 6 months. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed over 406.1 total hours in gliders, with 42.4 hours in the accident glider, of which 19.6 hours were accumulated in the 90 days before the accident.
Aircraft Information
The SZD-48 Jantar Standard 2 glider was manufactured in 1981 as a single-seat, standard-class, high-performance glider. Construction consisted of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin with a center section truss built from welded steel tubes. It featured a single-wheel retractable undercarriage, a towing hook, and a two-piece plexiglass canopy. Aluminum plate-style airbrakes extended from both upper and lower wing surfaces. The most recent annual inspection was completed on November 1, 2017, at a tachometer time of 697 hours. The glider was not equipped with ballast.
Section 4.5.4 of the flight manual, discussing spinning, stated that height loss during recovery from a spin is about 328 feet or more depending on the recovery procedure.
Meteorological Information
At 1535, weather conditions recorded at Immokalee Regional Airport, approximately 18 nautical miles north of the accident site, included wind from 160° at 11 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 34°C, dew point 14°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was located in a cow pasture about half a mile southeast of the airport. The glider came to rest on a magnetic heading of 030°, with a debris field extending 75 feet from the initial impact crater. All flight control surfaces were accounted for.
The cockpit hull was fragmented aft of the wing attachment assembly, exposing all flight controls and pushrods. The instrument panel sustained impact damage. Aileron pushrods were traced to intact quick locks. The airbrake control rotated the airbrake tubes within the fuselage. The empennage was separated and impact damaged; elevator and rudder pushrods, though damaged, showed continuity.
The left wing exhibited leading edge crush damage but remained intact. Aileron control continuity was established; the attachment fitting was impact damaged. The left airbrake was found extended; when the control tube was rotated, it retracted. The right wing outboard section was fragmented, and the aileron was separated. The right airbrake was found stowed and deployed when the control tube was rotated. Both wing roots were impact damaged.
The Nano flight data recorder was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Performance Division for data download.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the District 21 Medical Examiner in Fort Myers, Florida, determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and drugs.