Hoac-Austria HK 36R SUPER DIMONA accident near New Douglas, Illinois, June 6, 2012
On June 6, 2012 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Hoac-Austria HK 36R SUPER DIMONA (glider), registered N400HK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near New Douglas, Illinois (Silver Creek Glider Club airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2012 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Douglas, Illinois · Silver Creek Glider Club · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hoac-Austria HK 36R SUPER DIMONA
- Registration
- N400HK · registry record · serial 36.400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he maintained excessive airspeed during the final approach to landing and the glider bounced (in what he described as a pilot-induced oscillation) after the initial touchdown. The landing gear collapsed on the third bounce, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that the glider had no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 184 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,523 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,698 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4D0 Grand Ledge MI at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 3IL1 New Douglas IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N400HK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.