What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 06-08-02, student pilot michael f. kirsch, while on his third solo flight in an KAB8 glider, N8747, landed hard in the grassy area short of pavement of runway 14 at Tullahoma, TN. This grassy area is used by gliders for takeoff and landing on runway 14. The student pilot stated that during his final approach, he came in a little slow for the gusty conditions and during the flare allowed the speed to get below the stall speed and fell the final feet to the ground. The winds were estimated by the instructor to be 160 degrees at 10 KTS gusting to 15 KTS. A two foot section of aluminum tube in the lower portion of the fuselage to empenage section bent under compression in the hard landing. Minor damage occurred to fabric and wood formers.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 06-08-02, STUDENT PILOT MICHAEL F. KIRSCH, WHILE ON HIS THIRD SOLO FLIGHT IN AN KAB8 GLIDER, N8747, LANDED HARD IN THE GRASSY AREA SHORT OF PAVEMENT OF RUNWAY 14 AT TULLAHOMA, TN. THIS GRASSY AREA IS USED BY GLIDERS FOR TAKEOFF AND LANDING ON RUNWAY 14. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS FINAL APPROACH, HE CAME IN A LITTLE SLOW FOR THE GUSTY CONDITIONS AND DURING THE FLARE ALLOWED THE SPEED TO GET BELOW THE STALL SPEED AND FELL THE FINAL FEET TO THE GROUND. THE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED BY THE INSTRUCTOR TO BE 160 DEGREES AT 10 KTS GUSTING TO 15 KTS. A TWO FOOT SECTION OF ALUMINUM TUBE IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FUSELAGE TO EMPENAGE SECTION BENT UNDER COMPRESSION IN THE HARD LANDING. MINOR DAMAGE OCCURRED TO FABRIC AND WOOD FORMERS.
Other reports on N8747 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.