20040328015569A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Schler ASW-20 · Hutchinson, KS · March 28, 2004

Date: March 28, 2004 · 15:20 local
Place: Hutchinson, KS
Airport: Sunflower Aerodrome Gliderport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N232EM
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04CA090
Reported as: Schler ASW20
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,500 total300 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N232EMRegistration cancelled May 7, 2009 · Schleicher ASW-20S/N 20061 Airframe modelSchleicher ASW-20

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.

(-23) The pleasure flight operating under part 91, CFR 14 and in visual meteorological conditions originated at approximately 3:20 pm local time. N232EM, an ASW-20 glider lost all elevator control immediately after takeoff while being towed. The glider began to pitch up and the pilot released from the tow aircraft at approximately 100 feet AGL. The glider then began to slowly pitch over to 30 to 35 degrees nose down and impacted the ground 100 feet to the right of the runway in a plowed muddy field. The pilot was not injured and the glider sustained substantial damage. Weather was not a factor and the tow plane landed safely.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PLEASURE FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER PART 91, CFR 14 AND IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ORIGINATED AT APPROXIMATELY 3:20 PM LOCAL TIME. N232EM, AN ASW-20 GLIDER LOST ALL ELEVATOR CONTROL IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE BEING TOWED. THE GLIDER BEGAN TO PITCH UP AND THE PILOT RELEASED FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL. THE GLIDER THEN BEGAN TO SLOWLY PITCH OVER TO 30 TO 35 DEGREES NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND 100 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY IN A PLOWED MUDDY FIELD. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND THE TOW PLANE LANDED SAFELY.

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 CHI04CA090Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportYoder, KSThe pilot's failure to secure the elevator Louis L'Hotellier connector with a safety pin or wire as directed in several airworthiness directives and his inadequate preflight inspection of the sailplane, both of which resulted in the in-flight loss of elevator…Mar 28, 2004 · Substantial damage