At 13:10 PDT, a Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 4DM motorized glider broke up in flight near Minden, killing pilot William Ivans and passenger Donald Engen, director of the National Air and Space Museum and former administrator of the FAA. Witnesses said the glider was turning tightly in a thermal when it entered a spiral. The pilot stopped the rotation but the nose dropped further. As the pilot pulled out of the dive, the wings disintegrated.
July 13, Minden, Nev. / Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 4DM
At 13:10 PDT, a Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 4DM motorized glider broke up in flight near Minden, killing pilot William Ivans and passenger Donald Engen, director of the National Air and Space Museum and former administrator of the FAA. Witnesses said the glider was turning tightly in a thermal when it entered a spiral. The pilot stopped the rotation but the nose dropped further. As the pilot pulled out of the dive, the wings disintegrated....
Key Takeaways:
- A motorized glider tragically broke up in flight near Minden, California, resulting in the deaths of pilot William Ivans and passenger Donald Engen.
- Donald Engen was a notable figure, serving as director of the National Air and Space Museum and former FAA administrator.
- The accident occurred when the glider, turning tightly in a thermal, entered a spiral and subsequently disintegrated as the pilot attempted to recover from a steep dive.
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