Accident Details
On August 30, 2024, at approximately 1321 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher Alexander GMBH ASH 26 E glider, registration N264JM, was substantially damaged during an accident at the Caesar Creek Soaring Club Gliderport (2OH9) in Waynesville, Ohio. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The accident occurred during a towed launch, the third such flight of the day for the tow pilot. According to the tow pilot, a radio check was performed, and the glider pilot signaled readiness by moving the rudder. The tow pilot rotated approximately halfway down the 2,800-foot-long grass runway, noting that the glider was already airborne, which he described as unusual. By the time the tow plane reached about three-quarters of the runway, at an altitude of 100 to 150 feet above ground, the glider had climbed above and to the left of the tow plane. The glider then began pulling the tow plane's tail upward, prompting the tow pilot to apply full aft elevator to maintain the nose position. He released the glider and felt the tow rope disconnect. The tow pilot climbed out and returned to the airport, momentarily observing the glider execute a left turn, but he did not witness the impact. No radio communication was received from the glider pilot during the flight.
A witness who had connected the tow rope and run alongside the glider during takeoff reported that after turning around, he saw the glider had been released at about 100 to 150 feet above ground. The glider made a shallow right turn followed by an abrupt descending left turn, impacting the runway in a steep nose-down attitude.
Another witness stated that the glider pitched up radically on takeoff and stalled at roughly 100 to 150 feet above ground. The right wing dropped, and the glider rolled left, descending straight into the ground.
All three witnesses indicated that the pilot's actions and demeanor appeared normal before the flight, but his airborne behavior was inconsistent with his usual habits. They described him as an active glider pilot who was meticulous and very conservative.
Pilot Information
The 84-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a glider rating and a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on August 17, 2017, and expired for all classes in 2019. At that time, he reported 4,497 total flight hours. The pilot had applied for BasicMed and completed the required training course on September 22, 2022.
Aircraft Information
The Schleicher Alexander GMBH ASH 26 E is a self-launching glider of composite construction, equipped with an engine and retractable propeller. At the time of the accident, the engine was not in use and was stowed.
Wreckage Examination
The glider came to rest inverted on the runway, with all major components accounted for at the accident site. The cockpit area sustained significant impact damage. Numerous breaks were observed in the flight controls, but continuity was established for all major flight controls leading to the cockpit. Both spoilers were extended and deflected forward. The flap and spoiler levers were impact-damaged, and their pre-accident positions could not be determined. Examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Toxicological Findings
An autopsy conducted by the Hamilton County Coroner and Crime Laboratory determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head, neck, torso, and extremities. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected Metformin and Pravastatin in the pilot's blood and liver; neither drug is considered impairing.