20180224005169A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9 · Bunn, NC · February 24, 2018

Date: February 24, 2018 · 10:45 local
Place: Bunn, NC
Airport: Crooked Creek
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8401V
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18LA087
Reported as: Aero Commander Callair A-9
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,251 total

N8401VRegistered now · Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9S/N 1601 · Built 1970 Airframe modelAero Commander CALLAIR A-9 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Callair towing Schweizer 2-33 glider in gusty conditions departing runway 22 at Crooked Creek Airport (7NC5).

Student in glider with CFI made corrective primary flight control inputs but glider not responsive. Glider veered right, then up at extreemes. CFI deployed brakes attempting corrective maneuver.

Release mechanisms did not release properly, tow plane wing hit tree contacted ground inverted.

As the FAA filed it

CALLAIR TOWING SCHWEIZER 2-33 GLIDER IN GUSTY CONDITIONS DEPARTING RUNWAY 22 AT CROOKED CREEK AIRPORT (7NC5).

STUDENT IN GLIDER WITH CFI MADE CORRECTIVE PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS BUT GLIDER NOT RESPONSIVE. GLIDER VEERED RIGHT, THEN UP AT EXTREEMES. CFI DEPLOYED BRAKES ATTEMPTING CORRECTIVE MANEUVER.

RELEASE MECHANISMS DID NOT RELEASE PROPERLY, TOW PLANE WING HIT TREE CONTACTED GROUND INVERTED.

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 ERA18LA087Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBunn, NCThe glider instructor's delayed remedial action when the glider became out of position during aerotow, which resulted in excessive side-loading of the release hook and a delay in the glider's release from tow, which resulted in the towplane’s descent and…Feb 24, 2018 · Substantial damage