Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-2B accident near Marana, Arizona, April 2, 2023
On April 2, 2023 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 2001 Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-2B (glider), registered N774JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Marana, Arizona (El Tiro 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard bounced landing in a dust devil.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2023 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marana, Arizona · El Tiro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-2B, built 2001 · all DISCUS-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N774JP · no longer on the register · serial 97
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on November 15, 2023. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot of the glider reported that, during the landing flare, a dust devil pushed the glider to the ground, causing a hard landing. The glider bounced and then stalled, making another hard impact on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage cage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Dust devil/whirlwind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 15,000 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,021 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 16, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,157 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KTUS, 28 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTUS 022253Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 27/M11 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP106 T02671106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR23LA182.