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20050410005929A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Schler ASW-19 · Kitrell, NC · April 10, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 10, 2005 · 15:15 local
Place
Kitrell, NC
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N19HG
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL05CA072
Reported as
Schler ASW19
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
630 total130 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days
N19HGRegistered now · Schleicher ASW-19S/N 19255Airframe modelSchleicher ASW-19Engine 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.

(-23) Pilot departed ball field at approximately 16:53 UTC (12:35 local). After departure, the pilot attempted cross country flight and departed the area and began a procedure known as "thermalling", which is basically climbing while circling in thermal lift. The lift began decreasing and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. During the return flight, he encountered what is known as "sink" which is basically a descending airmass. With insufficient altitude to reach the field, the pilot elected to attempt an off airport landing to a 1500' x 500' field. He approached with excess airspeed and altitude which caused him to touch down approximately half way down the field. During the landing roll, the aircraft crossed a road at the FAR end of the field and impacted trees on the FAR side of the road. Rdu afss (raleigh) durham international) offers a soaring forecast tailorted to the needs of glider pilots, however, the pilot did not receive this forecast nor any other official weather briefing for this flight.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED BALL FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 16:53 UTC (12:35 LOCAL). AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND DEPARTED THE AREA AND BEGAN A PROCEDURE KNOWN AS "THERMALLING", WHICH IS BASICALLY CLIMBING WHILE CIRCLING IN THERMAL LIFT. THE LIFT BEGAN DECREASING AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED WHAT IS KNOWN AS "SINK" WHICH IS BASICALLY A DESCENDING AIRMASS. WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE FIELD, THE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING TO A 1500' X 500' FIELD. HE APPROACHED WITH EXCESS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE WHICH CAUSED HIM TO TOUCH DOWN APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN THE FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED A ROAD AT THE FAR END OF THE FIELD AND IMPACTED TREES ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE ROAD. RDU AFSS (RALEIGH) DURHAM INTERNATIONAL) OFFERS A SOARING FORECAST TAILORTED TO THE NEEDS OF GLIDER PILOTS, HOWEVER, THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE THIS FORECAST NOR ANY OTHER OFFICIAL WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THIS FLIGHT.

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 ATL05CA072Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHenderson, NCThe pilot's misjudgment of the landing area which resulted in overshooting the touchdown point. A factor was the in-flight encounter with weather (No thermal lift).Apr 10, 2005 · Substantial damage