Schempp Hirth Flugzeugbau GMBH ARCUS M accident near Richfield, Utah, June 21, 2018
On June 21, 2018 at about 9:27 pm local time, a 2015 Schempp Hirth Flugzeugbau GMBH ARCUS M (glider), registered N16DN, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Richfield, Utah (Nephi Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight loss of control and subsequent inflight breakup for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2018 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Richfield, Utah · Nephi Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp Hirth Flugzeugbau GMBH ARCUS M NO SERIES, built 2015
- Registration
- N16DN · no longer on the register · serial 125
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the glider reported that he was circling in thermal lift, approaching an altitude of 17,000 feet mean sea level, when one of the rudder pedals "slammed back" and threw his foot off the pedal, accompanied by a "thud" sound. The pilot reported that there was no change in the glider's yaw, pitch, or bank angle, but that he was unable to move the rudder pedals. Shortly thereafter, the glider's bank angle and speed began to increase, and the pilot applied corrective actions; however, he was unable to recover. The pilot instructed the passenger to bail out, and as he jettisoned the canopy, the glider began to break up. The pilot and passenger egressed and landed under parachute, incurring minor injuries. Postaccident examination of the recovered wreckage, including the flight control system, revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction or anomalies. Based on the available information, the reason for the inflight loss of control could not be determined.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Aircraft structural failure during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,512 hours in all; 312 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 4,470 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 9, 2017
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 308 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 23, 2018; 1.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,764 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Solo 262502I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U14 Nephi UT at 7:00 pm
- Destination: U14 Nephi UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 24 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 9:26 pm from KMLF, 52 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on May 5, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airworthiness Group Chairman's Factual Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 19-001 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Passenger Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Correspondence on Retained Items Disposal | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.