NTSB Factual Report

On January 22, 1994, about 1410 hours Pacific standard time, a Furche/Bielsko SZD-48 Jantar STD-2 glider, N48DF, crashed while maneuvering about 2 miles north of Warner Springs, California. The pilot was conducting a local visual flight rules personal flight. The glider, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed. The certificated commercial glider pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at a private airstrip at Warner Springs about 1343 hours.

Messrs. Steve Drew and John White, Aviation Safety Inspectors, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), San Diego [California] Flight Standards District Office, conducted the on-scene investigation. Inspector Drew reported that the pilot received an aerial tow to about 2,000 feet above the ground and then released from the tow plane.

A pilot of another tow plane said that between 1402 and 1405 hours he released the glider he was towing at 3,000 feet mean sea level. He then made a left descending turn. When he completed the turn on an east-southeasterly heading, he observed the accident glider in a fully developed spin at 1,200 feet above the ground. The pilot said, "...I observed the sailplane rotate through five complete revolutions with no apparent attempt to recover..." The glider struck the ground in a near vertical nose-down attitude.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a glider rating. He did not possess a medical certificate, nor was he required to.

Investigators recovered the pilot's last flight hours logbook. Examination of the logbook disclosed that the pilot accrued 376 flight hours (all in gliders), of which 336 hours were as pilot-in-command including 18 hours in the accident glider make and model.

He had also received instruction in aerobatics and spin recoveries. The logbook does not show that he received such instruction in the accident glider make and model. The logbook's initial entry was dated August 29, 1993. The logbook's front page showed that the pilot received his commercial pilot certificate in July 1992.

Investigators did not recover the glider's maintenance records.

Inspector White conducted the wreckage examination. He reported that all the aircraft components were accounted for and found at the initial impact site. Investigators found both wings separated from their respective wing-to-fuselage attach fittings adjacent to the fuselage.

The right aileron control push-pull tube was pulled inboard towards the fuselage. The aileron remained attached at its attach fittings.

The left aileron separated from its push-pull tube, but remained connected at its attach fittings. The inboard end of the push-pull tube was found broken. The mating portion of the push-pull tube was found attached to the fuselage mixing device. The spoilers were not stuck in any position. They were, however, not attached to the cockpit control mechanism.

The empennage was intact. Investigators established continuity of the rudder and elevator to the cabin/cockpit area.

The San Diego County, Office of the Medical Examiner, conducted postmortem and toxicological examinations on the pilot. The postmortem examinations showed no evidence of any condition or disease that would have affected the pilot's ability to fly a glider. The toxicological examinations were negative for alcohol or drugs.

The FAA, Civil Aeromedical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, also conducted toxicological examinations on the pilot. The results were negative for alcohol or drugs.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION TO RECOVER FROM THE SPIN. THE INTENTIONAL STALL/SPIN WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.