TULARE, CA, USA
N6KS
SCHLEICHER ASW-20
N161SS
BURKHART GROB FLUGZEUGBAH SPEED ASTIR II
AFTER RELEASING FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT, THE GLIDER PILOT PROCEEDED TO GAIN ALTITUDE IN A THERMAL ALONG WITH OTHER SAILPLANES. AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 4000 FT MSL, A COLLISION OCCURRED WITH ONE OF THE OTHER SAILPLANES. ABOUT 9 FT OF THE LEFT WING SEPARATED AND THE PLANE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE PILOT FAILED TO RELEASE THE CANOPY, BUT WAS ABLE TO FREE HIMSELF FROM THE PLANE. REPORTEDLY, HE HAD SUFFICIENT TIME AND ALTITUDE TO OPEN HIS PARACHUTE, BUT THE CHUTE DID NOT OPEN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE PARACHUTE REVEALED THAT THE RIP CHORD WAS EXTENDED WITH PINS FREE OF THE BACK PACK RETAINERS. THE PILOT CHUTE WAS DEPLOYED ALONG WITH A SMALL PORTION OF THE MAIN CHUTE. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER GLIDER BAILED OUT SUCCESSFULLY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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