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20000507040379A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Amtr HP 18 · Kutztown, PA · May 7, 2000

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 7, 2000 · 12:40 local
Place
Kutztown, PA
Airport
Kutztown Aviation Service Inc
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N67TT
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC00LA130
Reported as
Amtr HP18
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
250 total10 in the last 90 days
N67TTRegistration cancelled Oct 29, 2007 · Morgan Michael L HP 18S/N 67 · Built 1982Airframe modelMorgan Michael L HP 18Engine 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.

(.4) On may 7, 2000, about 1240 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt HP-18, a glider, N67TT, was substantially damaged during takeoff from the Kutztown airport, Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to the pilot, a powered airplane was towing the glider. During the takeoff roll, the glider lifted off the ground and began to rise too high. The pilot overcorrected the glider and it struck the ground. "Pilot induced oscillations" ensued, and the pilot could not control them. The pilot released the towrope, and the glider "cartwheeled" on the ground before coming to rest inverted. The pilot reported 250 hours of total experience in gliders, with no experience in make and model. (-23) while glider was being towed on take-off, the glider began pitch oscillations which became more pronounced each time. The tail of the glider struck the runway. The glider became uncontrollable and crashed.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) ON MAY 7, 2000, ABOUT 1240 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT HP-18, A GLIDER, N67TT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE KUTZTOWN AIRPORT, KUTZTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A POWERED AIRPLANE WAS TOWING THE GLIDER. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE GLIDER LIFTED OFF THE GROUND AND BEGAN TO RISE TOO HIGH. THE PILOT OVERCORRECTED THE GLIDER AND IT STRUCK THE GROUND. "PILOT INDUCED OSCILLATIONS" ENSUED, AND THE PILOT COULD NOT CONTROL THEM. THE PILOT RELEASED THE TOWROPE, AND THE GLIDER "CARTWHEELED" ON THE GROUND BEFORE COMING TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT REPORTED 250 HOURS OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN GLIDERS, WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL. (-23) WHILE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED ON TAKE-OFF, THE GLIDER BEGAN PITCH OSCILLATIONS WHICH BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED EACH TIME. THE TAIL OF THE GLIDER STRUCK THE RUNWAY. THE GLIDER BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND CRASHED.

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 NYC00LA130Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKutztown, PAThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in make and model.May 7, 2000 · Destroyed