Pilot Debrief

SCHLEICHER ASG29-15M near Uvalde, TX — 2012-08-17

Final reportCEN12LA553
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Date
2012-08-17
Location
Uvalde, TX, USA
Airport
KUVA
Aircraft
SCHLEICHER ASG29-15M
Registration
F-CIFB
Category
Glider
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The glider pilot’s inadequate visual lookout and collision avoidance just after joining a thermal in which other gliders were operating, which resulted in a midair collision with another glider. --- Inadequate visual lookout and collision avoidance by another glider pilot, who had just joined a thermal in which other gliders were operating, which resulted in a midair collision with the glider.

NTSB narrative

The pilots of both gliders were engaged in an international gliding competition. The pilot of F-CIFB said he was circling at an altitude of about 6,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when he observed that the pilot of D-6080 was operating in a good “bubble” (thermal) about 325 feet below him. The pilot of F-CIFB maneuvered his glider into the same “bubble” behind D-6080. Shortly thereafter, he heard his glider’s proximity alarm sound "BELOW" and felt an impact. The pilot of D-6080 said he was climbing with several other gliders in a strong thermal when he was struck by F-CIFB from behind. He said he did not see the glider and was unaware of its presence. The collision occurred about 5,700 feet msl. The pilot of D-6080 parachuted to safety. The pilot of F-CIFB landed the glider uneventfully with minor damage to its left wing. The empennage of D-6080 was severed and later found some distance from the main wreckage. Damage was consistent with D-6080 being struck from below and behind by F-CIFB.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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