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CEN20LA427

2020-09-29 · Hinckley, Illinois, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 02C

Current FAA registration · N721WC

Make / Model
ALEXANDER SCHLEICHER GMBH & CO ASK 21
Year of manufacture
1997 · 23 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20080422
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9A93A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s improper control input during a bounced landing that resulted in the glider impacting terrain.

Factual narrative

The pilot and passenger were landing after their second flight of the day. The pilot reported that during the landing he flared late, and the glider touched down on the main landing gear and bounced back into the air. The pilot pushed the control stick forward and the glider impacted the runway on its nose wheel resulting in substantial damage to the left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_CEN20LA427.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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