BORREGO SPRINGS, CA, USA
N252JB
ARLINGTON SISU 1A
WHILE THERMAL SOARING, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP SPINNING DESCENT, THREE TURNS TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWED BY TWO TURNS TO THE LEFT AND GROUND IMPACT IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OR CONTROL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT'S PARTNER IN OWNERSHIP OF THE GLIDER AND LONG-TIME CLOSE FRIEND STATED THAT HE HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A SPIN IN THE AIRCRAFT SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER. HE INDICATED THAT HE HAD TROUBLE RECOVERING FROM IT, SPEED BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE AND HE COULD NOT RECOVER FROM IT UNTIL FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE CONTROL STICK WAS PUSHED FULL FORWARD. ALTHOUGH THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND WITH THE SPEED BRAKES RETRACTED AND FLAPS EXTENDED ABOUT 10 DEGREES, BOTH SYSTEMS DISPLAYED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHAT THEIR PRE-IMPACT POSITIONS WERE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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