SHREWSBURY, PA, USA
N3353G
SCHEICHER K8B
THE PILOT WAS ON A ROUND ROBIN, CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM WOODBINE, MD TO SHREWSBURY, PA AND RETURN. WHEN HE ARRIVED OVER SHEWSBURY, HE MANEUVERED THE GLIDER TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HIS TURN POINT. WHILE TAKING THE PICTURE, HE SKIDDED THE GLIDER TO INCLUDE THE WING TIP IN THE PICTURE. AFTER TAKING THE PICTURE, HE NOTICED THE GLIDER HAD ENTERED AN OVERSPEED CONDITION. TO SLOW THE SPEED, THE AIRBRAKES WERE OPENED. HOWEVER, AT THAT POINT, THE FABRIC ON THE RIGHT WING TORE LOOSE AND THE GLIDER ENTERED A STEEP RIGHT SPIRAL. FULL LEFT RUDDER AND AILERON WERE APPLIED, BUT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. HE ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE GLIDER INTO A FIELD, BUT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE INTENDED LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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