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#1
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FATALITY IN SO. CAL.
The Los Angeles Times of 09/14/09 reported a glider fatality out of
Elsinore, CA on Sunday 09/13/09. There were few details except the name / age of the pilot, and the fact that he was on tow and crashed "about 400 ft off the runway". Does anyone know the circumstances ? No cheers, Charles. |
#2
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FATALITY IN SO. CAL.
On Sep 14, 7:12*pm, Vorsanger1 wrote:
The Los Angeles Times of 09/14/09 reported a glider fatality out of Elsinore, CA on Sunday 09/13/09. There were few details except the name / age of the pilot, and the fact that he was on tow and crashed "about 400 ft off the runway". *Does anyone know the circumstances ? No cheers, *Charles. Anyone find any more info on this one? I thought I read somewhere it was a SGS 2-33. Thanks |
#3
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FATALITY IN SO. CAL.
On Sep 16, 10:49*am, tstock wrote:
On Sep 14, 7:12*pm, Vorsanger1 wrote: The Los Angeles Times of 09/14/09 reported a glider fatality out of Elsinore, CA on Sunday 09/13/09. There were few details except the name / age of the pilot, and the fact that he was on tow and crashed "about 400 ft off the runway". *Does anyone know the circumstances ? No cheers, *Charles. Anyone find any more info on this one? *I thought I read somewhere it was a SGS 2-33. Thanks There is more info including pilot name and glider if you google "elsinore glider crash". Ramy |
#4
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FATALITY IN SO. CAL.
Yes, unfortunately we lost one of our own LESC club members.
It was quite a shock as Bill Kleese was a good experienced pilot. He towed in the Calair and flew the gliders regularly. Apparently the tow rope seperated(Broke or was released?) from the 1-34 and he made a turn to return or find a suitable landout. The crash took place 400 yds from the end of the runway after takeoff . I looked at the glider and saw that the left wing was broke midspan and bent towards the rear along with tip damage. The right wing was broken just out a bit from the root and bent forward, also with lots of tip damage. The cockpit area was very crumpled and bent with even instruments glass being smashed. From the observations above it seems clear to me that a well banked left turn was initiated but at some point in the turn the left wing impacted the ground and yawed the glider into the ground with the nose suffing a great deal of damage. Perhaps he misjudged the height or did not have quite enough altitude to complete the 180 turn back to the field. It just does not quite make sense that such an experienced pilot could misjudge that being so low or just not land in the brushy field everywhere below in any direction. I suspect there might have been other factors to this accident that we may never fully discover. Its very sad for the club and his loved loved ones. He is in our thoughts and will be missed by all. May he rest in peace. Ray On Sep 14, 4:12*pm, Vorsanger1 wrote: The Los Angeles Times of 09/14/09 reported a glider fatality out of Elsinore, CA on Sunday 09/13/09. There were few details except the name / age of the pilot, and the fact that he was on tow and crashed "about 400 ft off the runway". *Does anyone know the circumstances ? No cheers, *Charles. |
#5
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FATALITY IN SO. CAL.
There is no need to speculate here as there were experienced eye witnesses to the accident. The take off was into a quartering headwind from the left. The weak link broke at an estimated 150' and the pilot initiated a steeply banked turn to the right. The glider completed approx. ninety degrees of turn at which time the nose dropped steeply. The glider impacted at a high rate, nose first at an estimated eighty degrees nose down angle. Bill was an active and very generous club member who will be missed. Dan Fitzgerald |
#6
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FATALITY IN SO. CAL.
On Sep 17, 7:58*pm, "
wrote: There is no need to speculate here as there were experienced eye witnesses to the accident. The take off was into a quartering headwind from the left. The weak link broke at an estimated 150' and the pilot initiated a steeply banked turn to the right. The glider completed approx. ninety degrees of turn at which time the nose dropped steeply. The glider impacted at a high rate, nose first at an estimated eighty degrees nose down angle. Bill was an active and very generous club member who will be missed. Dan Fitzgerald Thanks Dan for the clarification, and now.......Unbelievablely More sad news...... I just read that the Challeger II Ultralight/LSA that went down in Redlands, CA a few days ago was another of our LESC members Woddy Fowler and his son in law Chad. Both were found dead at the scene. Apparently the witnesses heard the engine sputter and a bang before the plane went vertical nose down into the ground. Woody was also a very experienced LESC tow pilot and glider pilot, great all around guy, he will be missed by everyone. Ray |
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