By Jim Timm 
June 2015
The following are the preliminary NTSB reports of the aviation accidents that have occurred in Arizona from mid April thru late May. When detailed accident information becomes available, perhaps it can be used to develop safety programs and briefings that will help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and hopefully take the action needed to prevent similar accidents from happening to them.
From a flight safety standpoint, this reporting period has been good in that only one accident had been reported by the NTSB. Unfortunately it was also the only fatal accident reported in Arizona so far this year. The accident had occurred on April 11, but did not have the preliminary report issued until April 23, which was after our last accident report had been prepared. By this time the in last two years we had experienced four fatal accidents. Also, at this time last year we had recorded 21 accidents and so far this year we have only recorded 12 general aviation accidents. I only hope we can keep this trend continuing. I’ m not sure what we could attribute this trend to, but I would like to think it’s the result of the relentless efforts our our top notch safety teams reaching out to the pilots who are finally listening to them and reacting.
Based on information available when this summary was prepared, the reported accident this reporting period is as follows;
Accident Date: Saturday, April 11, 2015
Report Dated (4/23/15)
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Prescott Valley
Aircraft Type: Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus (Glider)
Injuries: 1 Fatal
LOSS OF CONTROL DURING WINCH LAUNCH
About 1525 MST, a Schempp-Hirth, Standard Cirrus glider, sustained substantial damage after impact with terrain following a winch-tow-launch and initial climb at the A.C. Goodwin Memorial Field Gliderport (AZ86), Prescott Valley. The certified private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed for the proposed local flight.
Witnesses reported that they observed the glider being launched from a winch tow line to the southwest. During the initial climb at an altitude of about 500 feet above ground level, the left wing dropped, followed by the glider descending in a steep nose-down attitude prior to impact with terrain. A post accident examination of the glider revealed that all components necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site. It was also reported that the glider had been winch-tow launched three times that day prior to the accident.
No pilot information was available.