Accident
On 21 July 2016 at approximately 1043 UTC, a Schleicher ASW 27-18E (ASG 29E) glider, registration G-VLCC, collided with terrain at Moundsmere, near Basingstoke, Hampshire. The glider was destroyed. The sole occupant, a 60-year-old pilot holding a British Gliding Association Gliding Certificate, suffered fatal injuries. The glider was equipped with one Solo 2350 two-stroke sustainer engine.
Flight History
The pilot attended a briefing at 0830 UTC for a planned cross-country task of about 300 km from Lasham Airfield. Her intention was to aerotow launch, soar near Lasham, then practice starting and running the sustainer engine before beginning the task. The glider had been stored in its trailer and was rigged with assistance, including loading water ballast (estimated 80–100 litres) into wing tanks.
At 1000 UTC, the pilot was in the launch queue and reported difficulty integrating her Naviter Oudie navigation tablet with the flight computer but appeared unconcerned. The aerotow commenced at 1020 UTC. The tug pilot reported a normal ground run and takeoff. At about 500 ft agl, the glider began moving side-to-side and up-and-down, behavior the tug pilot considered unusual. The glider did not communicate any problem. The tug continued climbing at 70–75 kt. At approximately 1,500 ft agl, the tug pilot sensed thermal activity but the glider did not release. Shortly after passing 1,800 ft, the glider was lost from the mirror then reappeared rapidly from below and released at about 2,000 ft agl.
After release, the glider turned left while the tug turned right. A pilot in another glider heard the accident pilot respond to her husband at around 1035 UTC, sounding normal. Minutes later, she reported to her husband that she was "climbing up nicely". No further radio transmissions were received.
Witness Observations
Two ground witnesses observed the glider's final descent. One, located about two miles west of Lasham, saw the glider with its nose steeply down, spiralling downwards, rotating three or four times before disappearing from view. A second witness, about 1.25 nm north, heard an engine and saw the glider low and heading south. He noted a "whooshing" sound and an engine that seemed to stutter, followed by a bang. Four people at a nearby farm heard the engine run up and die away two or three times, then a crash. They located the wreckage in a field and called emergency services; the pilot could not be saved.
Recorded Information
FLARM broadcasts from G-VLCC were captured by a ground receiver and provided by the Open Glider Network. Data from 0953 to 1043:20 UTC showed the glider's track. After release at about 1,900 ft aal, it made several climbs, reaching a maximum of 3,920 ft amsl. Thereafter, it descended at 400–500 ft/min while turning, with the turn rate increasing. The last recorded position was at 1043:20, approximately 550 ft above the accident site. Contact was lost for the final 35 seconds.
Investigation Findings
Examination found no evidence of any technical failure. The pilot was experienced with 1,800 hours of gliding (3 hours on type). Although she appeared fit before the flight, the pathologist could not rule out the possibility that she lost consciousness due to a cardiac problem, given a family history and reported heart palpitations about two weeks prior.