# NTSB ATL02LA177: Schempp-Hirth KA8B, N8747, Tullahoma, TN, September 28, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 28, 2002, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Tullahoma, TN - Coordinates: 35.381668, -86.246665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3817&lon=-86.2467&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Nashville FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55910 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA177 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55910/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA177 ## Probable cause The student pilot misjudged the airspeed and altitude during a visual approach to land that resulted in the in-flight collision with the trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - airspeed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final - object - tree(s) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, he was on his 17th solo flight at the time of the accident. After getting a car-tow, he climbed to 1100 feet, and maneuvered until he had descended to 600 feet. At this altitude, the student pilot elected to return to the airport. He entered the left traffic pattern for runway 06. As he turned onto the base leg of the approach, he realized that he was low and the wind continued to blow the glider away from the runway. The student pilot elected to turn final. Being concerned about the loss of altitude, the pilot decided to raise the nose in an effort to extend the glide. The student pilot said that this maneuver allowed the glider to clear most of the trees on the approach end of the runway, but the right wing collided with the top of a tree. The glider spun around and fell into a small grove of trees short of the runway. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 2002, at 1300 central daylight time, a Schempp-Hirth, KA8B glider, N8747, registered to University of Tennessee Space Institute, and operated by a student pilot, collided with trees short of runway 6 during an approach to land at Tullahoma-Highland Rim Regional Airport, in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The instructional flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The glider sustained substantial damage. The student pilot was not injured. The flight departed Tullahoma, Tennessee, at 1130, on September 28, 2002. According to the student pilot, he was on his 17th solo flight at the time of the accident. After getting a car-tow, he climbed to 1100 feet, and maneuvered until he had descended to 600 feet. At this altitude, the student pilot elected to return to the airport. He entered the left traffic pattern for runway 06. As he turned onto the base leg of the approach, he realized that he was low and the wind continued to blow the glider away from the runway. Concerned about the loss of altitude, the pilot raised the nose in an effort to extend the glide. The student pilot said that this maneuver allowed the glider to clear most of the trees on the approach end of the runway, but the right wing collided with the top of a tree. The glider spun around and fell into a small grove of trees short of the runway. The student pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the glider. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8747](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8747), registered now, S/N SH8639, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schempp-Hirth KA8B - Registry model: [Schempp-Hirth KA8B](https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-ka8b) (registry code 38019VL) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 8639-SH - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: David A. Ball - Registered owner: University Tn Space Institute - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: THA, Tullahoma, TN - Airport: KTHA, Tullahoma Regional Airport, runway 06, 5,400 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 24; injuries: none; student; seat: front; flight hours: 19 total, 3 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 1018.00 inHg - Observed at: MQY ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020928032299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020928032299A), Sep 28, 2002: Schler KA8B, Tullahoma, TN, Substantial damage. (-23) On September 28, 2002, at 1130 CDT, at Tullahoma-highland rim regional airport, student pilot david a. ball piloted N8747 on his 17th solo flight. He… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.