Navasota, TX, USA
N77VT
SCHLEICHER ASW-15
The pilot reported that the glider lost lift during the final leg of a cross-country flight. He chose to divert to a nearby airport to land; however, he subsequently realized that he would not be able to reach that airport, so he attempted to land in an open field. The pilot stated that, when he extended the spoilers at an indicated airspeed of 45 mph on the base leg of the approach, the glider inadvertently stalled and impacted terrain. He reported no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot deployed the spoilers with insufficient airspeed during the approach for landing, which resulted in the aerodynamic stall.
On June 22, 2013, about 1800 central daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-15 glider, N77VT, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain about one-quarter mile north of the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R), Navasota, Texas. The pilot was seriously injured. The aircraft was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight departed the Soaring Club of Houston Gliderport (89TA), Waller, Texas, about 1300. The pilot reported that he was returning from a cross-country flight with the intention of landing at 89TA, when the glider ran out of lift during the final leg of the flight. He elected to divert to the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R). The pilot noted that about one mile from 60R, he realized that he would not be able to reach the airport and he attempted to land in an open field. He stated that on base leg he extended the spoilers and the glider inadvertently stalled resulting in the accident. He reported that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the glider before the accident. Weather conditions recorded at the Easterwood Field Airport (CLL), College Station, Texas, located about 18 miles northwest of 60R, at 1753, were: wind from 170 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots; clear sky; temperature 36 degrees Celsius; dew point 19 degrees Celsius; altimeter 29.93 inches of mercury.
An inadvertent aerodynamic stall during the approach for landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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