# Accident 19970504013939A: Amtr BG12A, Marion, OH, May 4, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 4, 1997, 12:40 local time
- Place: Marion, OH
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.5808° N, 83.1200° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5808&lon=-83.1200&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8711R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8711R-1997-05-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Marsh-Turner BRIEGLEB BG-12A (registry code 79001V4, https://openairdocs.org/model/marsh-turner-briegleb-bg-12a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR BG12A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 19,605 total, 50 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA085) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970504013939A

## Narrative

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

(.4)WITH THE OWNER AT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT GLIDER WAS UNDER TOW TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT ABOUT 1 MINUTE AFTER DEPARTURE, THE GLIDER ENTERED INTO A SERIES OF DIVERGENT PITCH OSCILLATIONS WHICH TERMINATED IN A NEAR VERTICAL DIVE INTO A FIELD. THE TOW ROPE SEPARATED DURING THE OSCILLATIONS. ACCORDING TO AN FAA REPORT, '...THE ROD END OF THE ELEVATOR/AILERON CONTROL STICK WAS FOUND PULLED OUT OF PUSH ROD. THE MEAL CASING THAT THE ROD END FITTED INTO WAS CRUSHED.  THE ROD END CONTAINED 1 FASTENER (RIVET) CORE WITH SIGNS OF FRETTING AND SCORING, WITH THE REMAINING ATTACHING FASTENER CORE MISSING....'  THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED IN AUGUST 1995.  THE GLIDER WAS OPERATED ON AN FAA SPECIAL FLIGHT PERMIT, WHICH REQUIRED EITHER AN INSPECTION BY AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC OR A REPAIR SHOP BEFORE THE FLIGHT.  NO RECORD OF THE INSPECTION WAS FOUND BY THE FAA INSPECTORS.                                          (-23) DEPARTED RUNWAY 30 NORMAL TOW OPERATION, DURING CLIMB OUT GLIDER COULD NOT MAINTAIN IN TOW POSITION, TOW ROPE BROKE 1-2 FEET FROM GLIDER CONNECTION.  GLIDER ENCOUNTERED 3 PORPOISE MANEUVERS WITH THE LAST IMPACTING THE   GROUND WINGS LEVEL, SLIGHTLY LESS THAN VERTICAL POSITION. GLIDER DESTROYED, PILOT FATALLY INJURED.

## 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 NYC97LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA085), May 4, 1997: Marsh-Turner BG-12A (N8711R), Marion, OH, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Disconnection of the elevator control rod which resulted in the loss of elevator control. A factor was failure to complete the required maintenance inspection.

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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