# Accident 19960925044639A: Sphrth CIRRUS, Wadsworth, OH, September 25, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 25, 1996, 16:00 local time
- Place: Wadsworth, OH
- Airport: Wadsworth Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.0208° N, 81.7310° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0208&lon=-81.7310&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9775, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9775) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS (registry code 38019VE, https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-standard-cirrus) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SPHRTH CIRRUS
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 530 total, 50 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA084) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960925044639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON GLIDER TOW SPOILERS POPPED OPEN. CLOSED. CLIMB HIGHER THAN TOW CRAFT. RELEASED LOW. WENT UNDER WIRES. GROUNDLOOP (-23) THE PILOT/OWNER NOTIFIED THIS OFFICE ON 04/24/97 REF: ACCIDENT OF 09/25/96. HE STATED: HE WAS BEING AEROTOWED FOR HIS SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY, WHEN DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE DRAG BRAKES POPPED OPEN, AND HIS ALTITUDE WAS LOW. UPON CLOSING OF THE DRAG BRAKES, THE ALTITUDE POPPED UP QUICKLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE TOW PLANE. HE RELEASED FROM THE TOW, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE, HE THEN FLEW UNDER TELEPHONE WIRES, STRUCK THE GROUND, AND GROUND LOOPED. THE LEFT WING TRAILING EDGE HIT A TREE AND THE TAIL, WHICH BROKE OFF MIDWAY DOWN THE TAIL CONE. THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AT THE PILOTS RESIDENCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STORED IN THE GLIDER'S TRAILER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC97LA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA084), Sep 25, 1996: Schempp-Hirth CIRRUS-S (N9775), Wadsworth, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent activation of the speed brakes while being towed for takeoff. Subsequently, the glider pilot lost sight of the tow airplane due to excessive altitude, released the tow rope,…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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