Pilot entered unintentional spin and stall at approximately 50 feet altitude after applying heavy brake input following an upward exit from a right turn. Wing was low on energy when brake was applied. Pilot descended in stalled configuration and impacted ground with frame/cage absorbing impact.
Wrong control input
Maximum — exactly determined
During an evening flight in calm conditions, the pilot performed a forward inflation and takeoff. After gaining altitude, he pulled significant brake causing a balloon effect, then let the wing recover energy. He then initiated a right turn at full throttle, losing some altitude and building energy in the dive. Upon exiting the turn, he burned energy upward, leaving the wing in a compromised state (approximately 50% loaded with air). While the wing was light on energy and needed to dive forward to recover, the pilot applied very heavy left brake input, spinning the glider into a stall. The wing entered a stall configuration, falling backwards and descending in a parachuting motion. At approximately 50 feet altitude, the pilot had limited options. Attempting recovery could have caused a dive into the ground, and reserve deployment at that altitude would likely have been ineffective. The pilot continued to hold the wing in a stalled state (whether intentionally or not), descending at a slower rate and impacting the ground slightly backwards with the frame and cage making first contact, absorbing much of the impact.
Poor energy management and wrong control input at critical moment. Pilot applied heavy brake when wing was light on energy after burning energy upward from a turn. The wing needed to dive forward to regain energy before accepting brake input. The heavy brake application in this compromised state caused the wing to spin and enter an unintentional stall. Lack of understanding of glider energy dynamics and inertia management led to the incident.
Not deployed
Wrong input triggered incident
Footlaunch
15 m
Released
No wind to very light winds
Evening flight, sun near horizon, clear sky with few clouds, calm conditions
Analysis by Trevor Steele: Evening flight in calm conditions with light winds. Pilot performed forward inflation and takeoff, pulled significant brake causing balloon effect. After wing recovered energy, pilot initiated right turn at full throttle, losing altitude and building energy. Upon exiting turn upward, wing was in compromised state (~50% loaded with air, light on energy). Pilot then applied very heavy left brake input when wing needed to dive forward to regain energy, causing the glider to spin and enter unintentional stall at approximately 50 feet altitude. Pilot descended in stalled configuration. At that altitude, recovery attempt could have caused dive into ground, reserve deployment would likely have been ineffective. Pilot kept wing stalled (intentionally or not), descending at slower rate and impacting ground with frame/cage absorbing impact. Cause: Poor energy management and aggressive low-altitude maneuvering. Pilot demonstrated lack of understanding of glider energy dynamics and applied heavy brake at wrong moment when wing was light on energy. Analyst notes this was likely the best outcome given circumstances - crumple zone of frame absorbed impact rather than pilot taking direct impact from dive or failed reserve deployment.