Fatal Glider Accident in Oregon's Alvord Desert (N112AJ)

Accident Overview and Flight Details On July 17, 2019, at approximately 1225 Pacific daylight time, a Bolkow Phoebus B-1 glider, N112AJ, was destroyed in an accident in the Alvord Desert, Oregon. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight was a personal operation under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and was part of an annual soaring club event. The glider was launched using the ground launch, automobile tow method, where a towline fitted with a small parachute connects the glider to a vehicle. The tow vehicle crew consisted of a driver and a spotter. Witnesses reported sunny, partly cloudy skies with a 5 mph wind. The glider typically lifts off when the tow vehicle reaches 38 mph and the pilot releases the towline at 60-65 mph. The driver stated they had only accelerated to 55 mph before the spotter instructed her to stop as the glider impacted the terrain. The spotter reported the glider was about 1 mile behind the tow vehicle and the takeoff appeared normal before the crash. Other witnesses described the glider as “nose way up” and rolling on its left side toward the ground, with the left wing and nose striking the ground at about the same time. Photos captured the takeoff through the ground impact, showing the towline becoming slack and the line parachute opening as soon as the glider became airborne. The glider overran the towline and parachute, then pitched up and rolled left before impacting the ground. The photos indicated the glider climbed to about 100-150 feet above ground level before rolling left and impacting the terrain in a near vertical attitude. ## Wreckage and Impact Information Examination of the glider revealed that all major portions were accounted for. The flight control system showed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. ## Additional Information The FAA-H-8083-13A, “Glider Flying Handbook,” chapter 8, “Ground Launch Abnormal and Emergency Procedures,” notes that initial tow speed can be too fast or too slow. If the towline speed is too great, the glider cannot climb high due to excessive airspeed. If too low, the glider may be incapable of lift-off or could stall after becoming airborne. The pilot should use appropriate signals to direct the launch operator to increase or decrease speed and must anticipate and be prepared to deal with these situations. In abnormal situations, the pilot’s only alternative may be to release the towline and land ahead. Wind gradient can have a noticeable effect on ground launches. If the wind gradient is significant or sudden, and the pilot maintains the same pitch attitude, indicated airspeed increases that could exceed the maximum ground launch tow speed could occur. The pilot must adjust the airspeed to deal with the effect of the gradient, pushing forward on the stick to reduce the indicated airspeed when encountering a wind gradient.