# Accident 20250816011799A: Centrair 101A, Springfield, VT, August 16, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 2025, 13:30 local time
- Place: Springfield, VT
- Airport: Hartness State (Springfield)
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.3454° N, 72.5147° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3454&lon=-72.5147&mi=10
- Aircraft: N99KG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99KG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Centrair 101A (registry code 1990102, https://openairdocs.org/model/centrair-101a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CENTRAIR 101A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 26,000 total, 650 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA303) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250816011799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 08/16/2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 EDT. A CENTRAIR GLIDER EXPERIENCED AN UN-COMMANDED CLIMB AT THE START OF A TOWED TAKE OFF ROLL. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOW PLANE AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND IN A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, BOUNCED AND FINALLY CAME TO REST, JUST TO THE RIGHT OF RUNWAY 05. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SELF-EXTRACT HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT AND SEVERAL WITNESSES EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE AND NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFTS ELEVATOR WAS NOT CONNECTED TO ITS CONTROL ROD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT, WHO IS ALSO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF THE AIRCRAFT, FAILED TO CONNECT THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS DURING REASSEMBLY OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM STORAGE. THE DISCONNECTED ELEVATOR WAS NOT NOTICED DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND THE FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK THAT WAS PERFORMED BEFORE TAKE-OFF GAVE A FALSE INDICATION THAT THE ELEVATOR WAS CONNECTED. THE PILOT PROVIDED A STATEMENT ATTESTING THAT HE BECAME DISTRACTED DURING THE ASSEMBLY AND FAILED TO CONNECT THE ELEVATOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA25LA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA303), Aug 16, 2025: Centrair 101A (N99KG), Springfield, VT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to assemble the glider’s elevator control before takeoff.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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