Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2CT motorglider, N710JC: Accident occurred September 24, 2015 in Blacksburg, Virginia

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA375
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, September 24, 2015 in Blacksburg, VA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/21/2016
Aircraft: SCHEMPP-HIRTH VENTUS 2CT, registration: N710JC
Injuries: 1 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot was flying the motor glider in an annual soaring competition. The pilot reported that the motor glider was towed to 2,500 ft and then released. He subsequently performed a routine test of the engine and observed no anomalies; he then shut down the engine and stowed it before beginning the first leg of the competition. About 20 miles from the departure airport, the motor glider began losing altitude due to a loss of thermal lift, and the pilot then prepared for an off-airport landing. He deployed the retractable engine and attempted to start it but was unsuccessful. The pilot set up for landing to a field. He did not see power lines bordering the approach end of the field, and the motor glider impacted the power lines and then descended to the ground in a nose-down attitude.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

A loss of thermal lift during a motor glider flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from power lines during the off-airport landing attempt. 

On September 24, 2015, about 1452 eastern daylight time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2CT motorglider, N710JC, was substantially damaged when it impacted a wire and trees during an off-airport landing in Blacksburg, Virginia. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from Virginia Tech/Montgomery Executive Airport (BCB), Blacksburg, Virginia. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he was flying in an annual soaring competition. He departed from BCB about 1215 with a tow up to an altitude of 2,500 feet, then released from the tow plane. He subsequently performed a routine test run of the 20-horsepower engine and observed no anomalies. He then shut down and stowed the engine before beginning the first leg of the competition. About 20 miles from BCB, he had difficulty finding thermals for lift. The glider began losing altitude and he prepared for an off airport landing. He deployed the glider's retractable engine; however, as he attempted to start the engine, it "sputtered" and would not run. In a post accident statement, he postulated that he held the decompression valve open long enough for the engine to build rpm, but was not sure due to the circumstances of being low and preparing for an off airport landing. He set up for landing in a field, but did not see the power lines bordering the approach end of the field, and contacted the wires before impacting the ground.

According to a witness, they heard the motorglider fly over and "the engine was loud and seemed to be struggling or missing. It did not sound normal."

The pilot reported 2,500 hours of total flight experience and 255 of those hours were in the same make and model as the accident motorglider. He held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot's last flight review was on May 2, 2015. He did not have a medical certificate, nor was he required to when operating a glider.

Examination of the wreckage at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the motorglider struck a wire and trees and impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The forward fuselage was crushed, and the right wing was fractured and separated about one-third span from the wing tip. The fuel shut off valve and the fuel pump switch were in the off position.

The 1455 recorded weather observation at BCB, located about 7 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, included wind from 100 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles clear skies, temperature 23 degrees C, dew point 12 degrees C; barometric altimeter setting of 30.28 inches of mercury.

http://registry.faa.gov/N710JC

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA375
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, September 24, 2015 in Blacksburg, VA
Aircraft: SCHEMPP-HIRTH VENTUS 2CT, registration: N710JC
Injuries: 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 24, 2015, about 1452 eastern daylight time, a Schempp-Hirth Vetnus, powered Glider, N710JC, was substantially damaged when it impacted a wire and tress during an off airport landing in Blacksburg, Virginia. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from Virginia Tech/Montgomery Executive Airport (BCB), Blacksburg, Virginia. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he was flying in the annual Blue Ridge Soaring competition. The airplane began losing altitude and the pilot prepared for an off airport landing. He deployed the glider's retractable engine; however as he attempted to start the engine, it "sputtered" and would not run.

According to a witness, they heard the glider fly over and "the engine was loud and seemed to be struggling or missing. It did not sound normal."

Examination of the wreckage at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the glider struck a wire and trees, and impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The forward fuselage was crushed, and the right wing was fractured and separated about one third span from the wing tip. The fuel shut off valve and the fuel pump switch were in the off position.

The 1455 recorded weather observation at BCB, located about 7 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, included wind 100 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies below 12,000 feet, temperature 73 degrees F, dew point 54 degrees F; barometric altimeter setting of 30.28 inches of mercury.

 
ROANOKE (WSLS 10) — Wharton Ramsey is in rehabilitation at South Roanoke Nursing Home, six weeks after his glider crashed in Montgomery County. 


Ramsey said he’s never spent a day in a hospital, never broken a bone or even been hurt until now.

“Oh my injuries. Oh my goodness, you want the litany,” he asked in jest.

He suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs and vertebrae, pelvic fractures and two broken ankles.

“I was pretty far down for a long time but I think we’re out of immediate danger now,” he said.

The Roanoke dentist was nearing the end of a glider race with the Blue Ridge Soaring Society out of New Castle September 24 when he crashed.

“We were racing through over the hills the mountains valleys of southwest Virginia and I got a bit lower than I meant to,” he explained.

Dr. Ramsey was forced to land in a farmer’s field in McCoy but hit power lines first.

“I looked down and I said I’m going to die. And I meant it. I was pretty sure I was going to die.”

He survived. Saved, he says, by farmer Joe Broce.

“What saved my life right then was the farmer on whose land I landed. I scared his cattle. He saw his cattle running.”

Ramsey said he talked to Broce on the phone Wednesday when he learned Broce not only came to his rescue that day, but how Broce happened across something to use as a tourniquet when minutes mattered.

“He looked on the ground and there is a strip of cloth about 3″ x 2′ just happen to be right there. You figure the odds of having that there. I imagine if he had been five minutes later I would have bled out. We wouldn’t be here having this interview.”

During the next 40 minutes, Ramsey guesses he was conscious for three minutes.

“I remember the womp, womp, womp of the chopper coming in.”

Lifeguard flew him to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital where he recalls seeing his wife, Ellen peering in as he was rolled into the hospital.

“I think my feet are beautiful,” he joked. “They’re my toes still.”

Ramsey praises all the doctors and nurses involved in his care. Doctors managed to save both his legs

“The ankles were terribly broken. But my son said, ‘Well Dad, at least you landed on your feet.’ Which wasn’t very funny,” he said laughing.

Ramsey hopes to start walking by December but says his 45 years of flying are done.

I’m going to take up new pursuits now. I probably won’t do anymore gliding. I’ve been there done that wonderful I had a great time doing it but there are other things to do.”

Until then, he continues rehabilitation, including a little K9 therapy with their dog, Rubin. He’s eager to get back to his dental practice in January.

Ramsey says he looks forward to meeting Broce, the man who first saved his life.

Story, video and photo:  http://wsls.com/2015








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