- Date
- February 19, 1990, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cabins, WV
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N511MRolladen-Schneider LS-6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 21, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900219002269A
- Case key
- 11533
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot failed to detect and remain clear of the power line which crossed the field in which he was attempting to land. Contributing to the accident was the moderate to severe turbulence in the area at the time of the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses reported seeing the glider flying normally at a low altitude and appeared as if it was going to land. During the landing approach, the glider contacted a power line which sliced through the canopy, fatally injuring the pilot. The glider then descended to the terrain and contacted a barbed wire fence prior to coming to rest. Flaps were found in the full down position and the landing gear was extended. Other pilots in the area reported moderate to severe turbulence and strong rotor activity in the area of the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N511M
- Reported as
- Rolladen-Schneider LS-6
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 6037
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Armin Adolf Czudnochowsky
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Petersburg, WV
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N511M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.