Friday 7/15 a two-place glider N7475 crashed in a big tree attempting to get to the runway at K2W6. On impact the pilot was ejected from the glider going through the instrument panel, windshield and canopy, then falling about 50 feet to the ground. The pilot was killed apparently by multiple blunt force trauma. The pilot's seatbelt and shoulder harness bolts ripped out of the wooden structure of the glider. Wood remnants remaining on the bolts looked to be dry-rotted. The passenger survived, suffering lower back pain. His harness remained intact, but showed numerous cracks in the lumber at the bolt attachment points. The fire department retrieved the passenger from the glider using their tower ladder truck. http://thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/23184 The glider was reported to be 43 years old and had been stored outside and also in a trailer. All KR aircraft have their seat belts and shoulder harness attached to wooden structure in the aircraft. It seems prudent to me that builders and owners would pay close attention to how the bolt anchor attachments are made and the soundness of the lumber during annual condition inspections.
Sid Wood Tri-gear KR-2 N6242 Mechanicsville, MD, USA smw...@md.metrocast.net
