Schempp-Hirth Ventus-B accident near Peoria, Arizona, September 7, 2002
On September 7, 2002 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus-B (glider), registered N114RP, was destroyed in an accident near Peoria, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's abrupt maneuver, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2002 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus-B · all Ventus-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N114RP · no longer on the register · serial 68
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider pilot radioed to an FBO that he would be attempting a landing to a boat ramp near a lake. Witnesses at the lake reported that they initially observed the glider flying west, "very low" over the lake. A few witnesses, who were in boats and heading west toward the boat ramps, reported that the glider passed directly overhead and was between 100 and 300 feet above the water. The glider initiated a climbing left turn, stalled and, subsequently, impacted the lake. A review of the maintenance logbooks and examination of the glider by an FAA inspector did not reveal any pre-existing anomalies with the glider.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 237 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 28, 2002
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,035.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 16, 2002
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P48 Peoria AZ at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from DVT, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX02LA277.