SPRINGFIELD, VT, USA
N54MS
MCCULLOCH MONERAI "S"
THE MONERAI 'S' (N54MS, A PWRD GLIDER) EXPERIENCED AN INFLT FAILURE OF THE LEFT WING SPAR & CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN EXCESS OF ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT OF 450 LBS. THE PLT OF AN UNPOWERED MONERAI SAID HE & 3 OTHERS (INCLUDING THE PLT OF N54MS) WERE FLYING IN A THERMAL WHEN HE NOTED A SUDDEN, SHARP 'UP-GUST.' HE DESCRIBED THIS 'UP-GUST' AS BEING STRONGER THAN ANY HE HAD EVER EXPERIENCED IN 5 YRS OF FLYING HIS GLIDER. HE HAD SEEN N54MS IN THE SAME THERMAL, BUT WAS NOT OBSERVING IT WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED. A GROUND WITNESS SAW N54MS DESCENDING OUT OF CONTROL WITH THE APPEARANCE OF BOTH WINGS POINTING UPWARD. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT WING SPAR HAD FAILED FROM OVERLOAD.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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