# Accident 19990121000639A: Schler ASW27, Winterhaven, FL, January 21, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 21, 1999
- Place: Winterhaven, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.9807° N, 81.7795° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9807&lon=-81.7795&mi=10
- Aircraft: N387T (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SCHLER ASW27
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA066) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990121000639A

## Narrative

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

1996 SCHLEICHER ASW-27 GLIDER STRUCK A WIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND, AND THE CANOPE AND A WING SEPARATED. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JANUARY 21, 1999, ABOUT 1400 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN SCHLEICHER ASW27 GLIDER, N387T, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, HAD AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH WIRES ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE GLIDER RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT REPORTED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM WINTER HAVEN, ABOUT 1350. THE TOW PLANE HAD TAKEN THE GLIDER TO AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 2,200 AND 2,300 FEET. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS OVER THE AIRPORT AND WAS GOING TO LAND. WHILE ON APPROACH, THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR A LAKE AND LAND IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. AS HE APPROACHED THE FIELD, THE CANOPY STRUCK WIRES AND THE GLIDER LANDED IN THE FIELD. THE PILOT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN BONE IN HIS VERTEBRA AND A BROKEN RIB.                                                             (-23)DURING LOCAL GLIDER FLIGHT FROM WINTER HAVEN AIRPORT (GIF). PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE BACK TO THE AIPORT.  HE SELECTED THE NEAREST SUITABLE FIELD FOR AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING, BUT STRUCK A POWER LINE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND.  DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER CONSISTED OF A BROKEN CANOPY, RIGHT FLAP DAMAGE,AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR GREATER THAN 43 HOURS FOR A HEAD LACERATION, CRACKED RIB, AND CRACKED VERTEBRA.

## 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 MIA99LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA066), Jan 21, 1999: Schleicher ASW27 (N387T), Winter Haven, FL, minor damage. Probable cause: an in-flight collision with wires.

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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