19960705016429A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 1-26E · Marston Mills, MA · July 5, 1996

Date: July 5, 1996 · 16:30 local
Place: Marston Mills, MA
Airport: Cape Cod Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N603MX
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC96LA140
Reported as: Scwzer SGS126E
Fatal injuries: 0

N603MXRegistration cancelled Apr 27, 2015 · Schweizer SGS 1-26ES/N 603 · Built 1974 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-26E Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Tow rope broke on takeoff, glider stalled, spun in, struck ground. (-23) at approximately 1400EDT, 07/05/96, I received a telephone call from my supervisor, gary clarke, requesting me to investigate a glider accident at Cape Cod Airport, marstons Mills, MA. When I arrived at the airport, the pilot had been med evacted to a boston hospital. Mass aeronautics inspector bunker was on the scene as well as members of the state and local police. Witnesses stated that the glider, N603MX had taken off then began pitch oscillation that resulted in a pitch attitude of approximately 45 degrees or more nose up. At that point the tow rope broke at the tow plane. The glider then dropped off to the right, turned approximately 180 degrees and momentarily appeared to pass through a level flight attitude. It then dropped off into a right hand spin, made approximately two turns and impacted the ground.

As the FAA filed it

TOW ROPE BROKE ON TAKEOFF, GLIDER STALLED, SPUN IN, STRUCK GROUND. (-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1400EDT, 07/05/96, I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM MY SUPERVISOR, GARY CLARKE, REQUESTING ME TO INVESTIGATE A GLIDER ACCIDENT AT CAPE COD AIRPORT, MARSTONS MILLS, MA. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT HAD BEEN MED EVACTED TO A BOSTON HOSPITAL. MASS AERONAUTICS INSPECTOR BUNKER WAS ON THE SCENE AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE STATE AND LOCAL POLICE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE GLIDER, N603MX HAD TAKEN OFF THEN BEGAN PITCH OSCILLATION THAT RESULTED IN A PITCH ATTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES OR MORE NOSE UP. AT THAT POINT THE TOW ROPE BROKE AT THE TOW PLANE. THE GLIDER THEN DROPPED OFF TO THE RIGHT, TURNED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES AND MOMENTARILY APPEARED TO PASS THROUGH A LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE. IT THEN DROPPED OFF INTO A RIGHT HAND SPIN, MADE APPROXIMATELY TWO TURNS AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC96LA140Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMarston Mills, MAfailure of the pilot to maintain control of the glider while being towed during takeoff, which resulted in a pitch oscillation, failure of the tow cable, loss of airspeed, an inadvertent stall/spin, and an uncontrolled collision with the ground.Jul 5, 1996 · Destroyed