Hey Campers,
Here is a draft of my accident report for the mag. Please comment & edit freely to make this submission as beneficial as possible. I can't really feel any stupider, so don't worry about that.
Thanks to everyone for the moral support and especially to Joe P, LD, and Barton for helping out and making sure I was ok.
Here it is:
TIME OF YEAR: SUMMER
ACCIDENT SITE: YOSEMITE, CALIFORNIA
TYPE OF LAUNCH: FOOT LAUNCH
SUMMARY: Pilot allowed glider’s nose to pop up on launch, leading to a stall and crash.
The pilot, a Hang 4 with approximately 250 flights and 100 hours of airtime, attempted to launch his Wills Wing U2 160 at Yosemite National Park in California. He had one successful launch from the site, flown the previous day. Pilot had a history of allowing glider’s nose to pop up on launch and was aware of the problem. He had added the phrase “nose down� to his pre-launch audible recitation, just before saying “clear� and launching. Unfortunately, the problem of improper angle of attack persisted. Even if the proper angle had been set before the launch run, the pilot would often allow the nose to rise at the beginning of the run. This is what occurred just before the accident.
The pilot began his launch run with a proper angle of attack, but allowed the nose to rise as he began his run. One observer noticed that the left wing was slightly lower than the right. The pilot took a few steps and became airborne. The glider quickly stalled with the right wing high, caught the left wingtip, and turned into the hill. The pilot attempted to compensate for the leftward yaw when the tip caught, but abandoned the effort when it was clear he could not overcome it. Pilot’s feet were under him when the left turn initiated, so he ran with the glider as it turned into the hill. When impact was imminent, pilot balled up his body, and came to rest below launch. Pilot suffered minor injuries. Glider suffered major damages, including lost down tubes, keel, and at least one leading edge.
Primary cause of accident was pilot error. Contributing factors included high elevation (thin air), new site, high-performance glider, no-wind conditions, and pressure to launch quickly.
LESSON LEARNED:
Pilots should not accept bad flying habits, especially those related to launch and landing. Bad habits that persist under ideal or moderate conditions may lead to accidents when conditions allow little room for error. Intermediate and advanced pilots should be aware of the relatively little amount of time they get to practice launching and landing and be willing to sacrifice soaring time to practice these beginner-level, but necessary, skills. Bad habits that persist should be addressed more vigorously, not tolerated.
Eric blows launch at Yosemite
Nice write-up.
Thanks for the honest assessment, Eric. I know it takes courage to do this kind of thing.
Eric is right. Complacency about bad habits can produce nasty surprises. If you are having a problem in conditions that you are comfortable with, what will happen when you are doing something outside your comfort zone?
We're all glad you are OK, Eric.
And I hope you will fly Yosemite again when your launch skills get "brushed" up.
Thanks for the honest assessment, Eric. I know it takes courage to do this kind of thing.
Eric is right. Complacency about bad habits can produce nasty surprises. If you are having a problem in conditions that you are comfortable with, what will happen when you are doing something outside your comfort zone?
We're all glad you are OK, Eric.
And I hope you will fly Yosemite again when your launch skills get "brushed" up.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
Eric,
Thanks for the report. I watched an experienced H4 XC pilot similarly blow his launch at King Mountain last week and also walk away physically unscathed but his glider was totaled. A few months ago the same thing happened w/ a seasoned H4 on Kagel. BTW - Both instances involved pilots who were vocally impatient prior to launch.
In these pilot's cases I know it was anomalies but from reading your post I find myself concerned. Please describe your plan for changing your launch habits. What you you intend to practice to make this an anomaly for you as well?
I will add the following caveat: Having personally had more potentially disastrous XC landings than many entire clubs, I have learned that writing my 'True Confessions' made no viable difference in my landing mayhem. It took conscientious effort and diligent, repeated practice to get it under control, as was amply demonstrated at King last week. If you want some assistance don't hesitate to reach out. This is a big club and there are varying personalities to match most pilots learning styles.
Thanks, Jonathan
Thanks for the report. I watched an experienced H4 XC pilot similarly blow his launch at King Mountain last week and also walk away physically unscathed but his glider was totaled. A few months ago the same thing happened w/ a seasoned H4 on Kagel. BTW - Both instances involved pilots who were vocally impatient prior to launch.
In these pilot's cases I know it was anomalies but from reading your post I find myself concerned. Please describe your plan for changing your launch habits. What you you intend to practice to make this an anomaly for you as well?
I will add the following caveat: Having personally had more potentially disastrous XC landings than many entire clubs, I have learned that writing my 'True Confessions' made no viable difference in my landing mayhem. It took conscientious effort and diligent, repeated practice to get it under control, as was amply demonstrated at King last week. If you want some assistance don't hesitate to reach out. This is a big club and there are varying personalities to match most pilots learning styles.
Thanks, Jonathan
Launches
Eric,
You may want to consider doing a bunch of launches at Andy Jackson - either from the training hill or the Big O Loop. It may be also valuable to have someone like Rob McKenzie observe your launches to provide expert and immediate feedback.
Glad to hear you are OK!
You may want to consider doing a bunch of launches at Andy Jackson - either from the training hill or the Big O Loop. It may be also valuable to have someone like Rob McKenzie observe your launches to provide expert and immediate feedback.
Glad to hear you are OK!
Eric,
Having someone comment on your bad habits is good, but seeing it for yourself is better. Have you seen the video that LD took of your launch? If not, ask him to show it to you. Also watch a good launch where the nose angle is stable all the way through the launch run.
I believe that seeing both the good a bad lanuches for yourself would help you a lot. LD also filmed one launch where the pilot initially allowed the nose to rise but but recognised it and pulled it back in imediately.
Rob
Having someone comment on your bad habits is good, but seeing it for yourself is better. Have you seen the video that LD took of your launch? If not, ask him to show it to you. Also watch a good launch where the nose angle is stable all the way through the launch run.
I believe that seeing both the good a bad lanuches for yourself would help you a lot. LD also filmed one launch where the pilot initially allowed the nose to rise but but recognised it and pulled it back in imediately.
Rob
Last edited by BudRob on Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Eric,
Jonathan, Don and Rob all make good points.
Practice with feedback. And a video makes great feedback because you can watch it over and over and see exactly what is going on.
And remember, we often need lots of landing practice to overcome an issue. We spend lots of time flying but only a very short time landing. That means we don't really get much practice, even if we fly a lot.
You cannot possibly be good at anything that you do for a few seconds, twice a week. [ And that doesn't just apply to hang gliding. ]
Good luck getting it back!
Jonathan, Don and Rob all make good points.
Practice with feedback. And a video makes great feedback because you can watch it over and over and see exactly what is going on.
And remember, we often need lots of landing practice to overcome an issue. We spend lots of time flying but only a very short time landing. That means we don't really get much practice, even if we fly a lot.
You cannot possibly be good at anything that you do for a few seconds, twice a week. [ And that doesn't just apply to hang gliding.
]Good luck getting it back!
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
Hi Eric et al and thanks for the report.
when running on level ground with your glider at the proper angel of attack your glider would be more or less parallel to the ground.
when running down a 45degree slope in no wind what would you have to do with your glider's angle to achieve the same angle of attack? lower it of course, at least at first.
because you are not running simply forward but rather at a downward angle at yosemite or any steep launch for that matter the nose needs to be even lower at least initially to compensate. especially in no wind, otherwise the gliders descending path of travel down the launch ramp causes an increased angle of attack which moves the center of lift forward and causes the nose to rise unless it is held down by the pilot. not compensating for the angle of the launch ramp seems to me to be a contributing factor.
also you mentioned feeling rushed at launch. was this caused by other people , spectators or something internal? I'm sure you don't mean to but stating that you were 'feeling rushed' could be interpreted as blame.
you might think about rephrasing that sentence before wider publication to avoid any misunderstanding.
m
for education purposes I've posted a dissected version of lawn dart's video.
Video at: http://vimeo.com/14005254
it is a private video and the
password is: SHGA
when running on level ground with your glider at the proper angel of attack your glider would be more or less parallel to the ground.
when running down a 45degree slope in no wind what would you have to do with your glider's angle to achieve the same angle of attack? lower it of course, at least at first.
because you are not running simply forward but rather at a downward angle at yosemite or any steep launch for that matter the nose needs to be even lower at least initially to compensate. especially in no wind, otherwise the gliders descending path of travel down the launch ramp causes an increased angle of attack which moves the center of lift forward and causes the nose to rise unless it is held down by the pilot. not compensating for the angle of the launch ramp seems to me to be a contributing factor.
also you mentioned feeling rushed at launch. was this caused by other people , spectators or something internal? I'm sure you don't mean to but stating that you were 'feeling rushed' could be interpreted as blame.
you might think about rephrasing that sentence before wider publication to avoid any misunderstanding.
m
for education purposes I've posted a dissected version of lawn dart's video.
Video at: http://vimeo.com/14005254
it is a private video and the
password is: SHGA
I think the point about the angle of the steep no-wind launch is great.
I wonder if there's also an impact to that situation from the jaw-dropping vista right in front of you and the drop-off/cliff down a short bumpy launch ramp. I notice those had very significant impact on me and that impact has to get managed along with all the other factors. For me it was "you have to ignore the naked lady in front of you, focus on what you need to do right now, you'll get to that later". I was much more conservative than normal, for having a much bigger vista affect than normal. (Note where I landed in that field the first time!).
I launched after your blown launch and had a big reaction to it to manage.
I really like periodically going to the beach and doing a bunch of take-offs and landings without thinking much about them, to see what weaknesses in my launch and landing technique show up. (Used to do the same wth my tennis serve). Greg is alway a huge help to me, as if he gets that what I'm there for is to really drive my technique to perfection.
I was so happy you were fine! (And kind of glad your glider was totalled -- what happened seems a very big brush with your death). I've done one memorial service, and thought you'd gone over and died. I'm finding life is marvelously full of unseen possibility worth a ton. Take great care of yourself.
I wonder if there's also an impact to that situation from the jaw-dropping vista right in front of you and the drop-off/cliff down a short bumpy launch ramp. I notice those had very significant impact on me and that impact has to get managed along with all the other factors. For me it was "you have to ignore the naked lady in front of you, focus on what you need to do right now, you'll get to that later". I was much more conservative than normal, for having a much bigger vista affect than normal. (Note where I landed in that field the first time!).
I launched after your blown launch and had a big reaction to it to manage.
I really like periodically going to the beach and doing a bunch of take-offs and landings without thinking much about them, to see what weaknesses in my launch and landing technique show up. (Used to do the same wth my tennis serve). Greg is alway a huge help to me, as if he gets that what I'm there for is to really drive my technique to perfection.
I was so happy you were fine! (And kind of glad your glider was totalled -- what happened seems a very big brush with your death). I've done one memorial service, and thought you'd gone over and died. I'm finding life is marvelously full of unseen possibility worth a ton. Take great care of yourself.
I haven't launched that type of glider but maybe if your hands were lower you could get more input as to the balance of the wings.
I looked at Richard's launching video to compare launches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbZL6B-tvog
It looks like you only get 5 steps to complete a launch and you're about 9000 feet msl where the air is thinner. Was their any room to run to the left to try and balance the wings? I'm just glad you're ok. Looks like a hang 4 site for sure.
I looked at Richard's launching video to compare launches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbZL6B-tvog
It looks like you only get 5 steps to complete a launch and you're about 9000 feet msl where the air is thinner. Was their any room to run to the left to try and balance the wings? I'm just glad you're ok. Looks like a hang 4 site for sure.