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Motor glider pilot experienced a 'loose' rudder during a turn with the engine off and turned towards a near by airport. After landing the rudder separated from the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1430921 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201703 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Sail Plane |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Rudder |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Glider |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20 Flight Crew Total 1140 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Excursion Runway |
Narrative:
I was gliding on the local ridge in a G109B motor glider. The rudder came loose in a turn after approximately 45 minutes of flight. The engine had been off for approximately 30 minutes. I completed the turn and luckily was lined up for a straight-in landing at the airport. I was able to glide on the ridge toward the airport and then descend to land using airbrakes. Upon landing without a functional rudder; the longitudinal axis aligned the plane into the left crosswind. Landing slightly misaligned with the runway caused some side-loading. I used the rudder to try and provide steering when the tail wheel contacted the ground. This helped straighten the airplane longitudinal axis with the runway; but likely exacerbated any issues with the rudder. I allowed the airplane to drift into the 'grass runway' used by gliders on the north side of the paved runway as I tried to brake and slow the airplane. The rudder came off about 20 yards from my final stopping point. The airplane was clear of the runway in the grass. I exited the aircraft; picked up the rudder and then taxied the motor glider across the runway over to my assigned tie-down space. My local a&P was working on another airplane and we then spent some time discussing the incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Motor glider pilot experienced a 'loose' rudder during a turn with the engine off and turned towards a near by airport. After landing the rudder separated from the aircraft.
Narrative: I was gliding on the local ridge in a G109B motor glider. The rudder came loose in a turn after approximately 45 minutes of flight. The engine had been off for approximately 30 minutes. I completed the turn and luckily was lined up for a straight-in landing at the airport. I was able to glide on the ridge toward the airport and then descend to land using airbrakes. Upon landing without a functional rudder; the longitudinal axis aligned the plane into the left crosswind. Landing slightly misaligned with the runway caused some side-loading. I used the rudder to try and provide steering when the tail wheel contacted the ground. This helped straighten the airplane longitudinal axis with the runway; but likely exacerbated any issues with the rudder. I allowed the airplane to drift into the 'grass runway' used by gliders on the north side of the paved runway as I tried to brake and slow the airplane. The rudder came off about 20 yards from my final stopping point. The airplane was clear of the runway in the grass. I exited the aircraft; picked up the rudder and then taxied the motor glider across the runway over to my assigned tie-down space. My local A&P was working on another airplane and we then spent some time discussing the incident.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.