# Accident 19970914047149A: AS+ AC 4, Sundance, WY, September 14, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 14, 1997, 17:45 local time
- Place: Sundance, WY
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.4007° N, 104.3700° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4007&lon=-104.3700&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3021, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3021) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: AS+ AC 4 (registry code 05628R1, https://openairdocs.org/model/as-plus-ac-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA349) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970914047149A

## Narrative

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

(-16) GLIDER LAUNCH SYSTEM FAILED TO PROPEL AIRCRAFT INTO FLIGHT, PILOT RELEASED TOW CABLE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND AVOID INJURY.

## 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 FTW97LA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA349), Sep 14, 1997: AS+ AC-4B (N3021), Sundance, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: improper planning/decision by the pilot, which led to a snag and sudden slack in the tow rope, and necessitated an aborted launch (emergency landing) after initial liftoff. This in turn led to an…

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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