MidAir Destroyed One Bird, Injured Pilot, While Other Landed Safely

The NTSB has updated the details on the recent TX glider midair that destroyed one aircraft and injured its pilot, while the other managed to fly back to the field.

NTSB Identification: DEN08LA137A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, August 09, 2008 in Bracketville, TX
Aircraft: Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A (illustrated below), registration: N777UN/AB Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2, registration: N110RG
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On August 9, 2008, at 1532 central daylight time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A glider, N777UN, collided with an AB Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2 glider, N110RG, during a gliding competition 4 miles north of Bracketville, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flights were being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without flight plans. The pilot of N777UN was uninjured, while the pilot of N110RG sustained serious injuries. Both flights departed Garner Field Airport (UVA), Uvalde, Texas, approximately 1200.

According to a telephone conversation with the pilot of N110RG, he was following behind another glider at an altitude of 5,000 feet, heading for the first turn point in the competition. The glider in front of him entered a thermal and the pilot of N110RG established visual contact with the other pilot before entering the thermal behind him. He stabilized a right 55 degree bank and had completed three turns when he heard a loud bang and immediately "went out of control." The right wing dropped and the glider "went inverted." The pilot of N110RG exited the glider and deployed his parachute. During the egress, the pilot was struck in the neck by some portion of the glider. The parachute deployed without issue; however, the landing was hard, resulting in serious injuries.

According to a telephone conversation with the pilot of N777UN, he had observed the two gliders in the thermal in front of him and entered the thermal underneath them. After two turns in the thermal, he lost sight of the two gliders and collided, shortly thereafter, with N110RG. His left wing and winglet impacted the right wing of the other glider. The pilot of N777UN landed uneventfully at UVA.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov