20220416004649A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Schleicher ASW-19B · Jacksonville, FL · April 16, 2022

Date: April 16, 2022 · 13:00 local
Place: Jacksonville, FL
Airport: Herlong Recreational Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N19KW
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA22FA189
Reported as: Schleicher ASW-19B
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N19KWRegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2023 · Schleicher ASW-19BS/N 19410 · Built 1984 Airframe modelSchleicher ASW-19B Engine 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.

N19KW departed kheg towed by N7741Z and shortly after takeoff and during the climb to planned altitude of 3,000 feet, was seen climbing and descending above and below N7741Z and at roughly 200-250 feet, N19KW released from N7741Z and appears to have attempted to return for landing at kheg. N19KW crashed on airport property roughly 250 yards southeast of the approach end of runway 07 in the woods.

The deceased assembled N19KW alone the morning of the accident and did not have anyone conduct a quality asssurance check on the assembly.

It appears the elevator wasn't properly connected during the re-assembly of N19KW which would have caused the loss of pitch control.

As the FAA filed it

N19KW DEPARTED KHEG TOWED BY N7741Z AND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND DURING THE CLIMB TO PLANNED ALTITUDE OF 3,000 FEET, WAS SEEN CLIMBING AND DESCENDING ABOVE AND BELOW N7741Z AND AT ROUGHLY 200-250 FEET, N19KW RELEASED FROM N7741Z AND APPEARS TO HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN FOR LANDING AT KHEG. N19KW CRASHED ON AIRPORT PROPERTY ROUGHLY 250 YARDS SOUTHEAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 07 IN THE WOODS.

THE DECEASED ASSEMBLED N19KW ALONE THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AND DID NOT HAVE ANYONE CONDUCT A QUALITY ASSSURANCE CHECK ON THE ASSEMBLY.

IT APPEARS THE ELEVATOR WASN'T PROPERLY CONNECTED DURING THE RE-ASSEMBLY OF N19KW WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF PITCH CONTROL.

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 ERA22FA189Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportJacksonville, FLThe pilot’s improper preflight assembly of the glider’s elevator control, which resulted in a loss of control on takeoff, and the pilot’s failure to complete a positive control check before the flight, which would have identified the disconnected elevator…Apr 16, 2022 · Substantial damage