# NTSB ATL03LA112: Schleicher ASW28, N128ED, Batesburg, SC, June 21, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 21, 2003, 15:20 local (19:20 UTC) - Place: Batesburg, SC - Coordinates: 33.844444, -81.548889 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8444&lon=-81.5489&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: South Carolina FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57285 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL03LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57285/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA112 ## Probable cause The loss of thermal lifting action that resulted in the in-flight collision with trees during an attempted forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - no thermal lift (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the thermals became weak, the glider began to lose altitude, and landing became imminent. The pilot stated that he headed to a "clear green area beyond a stand of trees." The glider contacted trees before coming to rest on the ground in a nose low attitude. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the glider prior to the flight. Examination of the wreckage revealed the right wing was cracked at the root and the left wing separated from the fuselage at the root. The fuselage was crushed from the nose section aft to the pilot's station and the canopy was shattered. The empennage was separated from the tail section forward of the tail assembly. According to the pilot, all contest participants received a weather briefing during the initial race briefing. ## Factual narrative On June 21, 2003, at 1530 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-28 glider, registered to and operated by Echo Delta LTD, collided with trees and came to rest in the backyard of a single-family home in Batesburg, South Carolina. The personal 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 pilot received serious injuries and the glider sustained substantial damage. The flight departed a private airstrip in Perry, South Carolina, at 1330, on June 21, 2003. The purpose of the flight was a glider race contest. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the flight. The pilot stated that the thermal conditions became weak, the glider began to lose altitude, and landing became imminent. According to the pilot, the first two selected landing sites proved to be unsuitable by other glider pilots, so he headed to a "clear green area beyond a stand of trees." According to the pilot, he thought that he had enough altitude to clear the trees. The glider collided with trees before coming to rest on the ground in a nose low attitude. Examination of the wreckage revealed the right wing was cracked at the root and the left wing separated from the fuselage at the root. The fuselage was crushed from the nose section aft to the pilot's station and the canopy was shattered. The empennage was separated from the tail section forward of the tail assembly. According to the pilot, all contest participants received a weather briefing during the initial race briefing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N128ED](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N128ED-2013-08-08), registration cancelled 2013-08-08, S/N 28028 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schleicher ASW28 - Registry model: [Schleicher ASW-28](https://openairdocs.org/model/schleicher-asw-28) (registry code 3801550) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 28028 - Airframe hours: 108 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Echo Delta Ltd - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 15, 2003, 19 hours before - Departed: PRVT, Perry, SC - Destination: PRVT, Perry, SC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 78; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 9,822 total, 94 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: AGS, 35 nm away ## 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 20030621013699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030621013699A), Jun 21, 2003: Schler ASW28, Batesburg, SC, Substantial damage. (-23) Glider pilot lost altitude and attempted off field landing. During landing attempt aircraft struck tree and impacted terrain. 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.