- Date
- June 3, 1994, 13:32 local (17:32 UTC)
- Place
- Morrisville, VT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4194DWSK PZL Krosno KR-03A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 10, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940603013849A
- Case key
- 8926
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's premature release from the tow plane. The lack of lift and the downdraft were factors.
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
The glider pilot reported that he and the tow pilot had discussed earlier that they would climb to 2000 ft AGL, and if there was not enough lift at that altitude that the flight should continue to 3000 ft before releasing. According to the glider pilot, the flight was at 2000 ft when the tow airplane made a left turn. The glider pilot thought he could make Mt. Elmore so he released from the tow plane. He was unable to make it to Mt. Elmore, and the glider started to sink. He elected to land in a field; the glider continued to sink and struck tree tops before it spun to the ground. The pilot reported that the glider encountered a downdraft.
Factual narrative
On June 3, 1994, at 1332 eastern daylight time, N4194D, a WSK PZL Krosno glider, operated by Stowe Soaring of Morrisville, Vermont, collided with trees at Morrisville. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The certificated private pilot was not injured while the glider was destroyed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The glider pilot stated that he and the tow pilot had discussed that they would climb to 2000 feet AGL, and if there was not enough lift at that altitude that they would climb to 3000 feet AGL before disconnecting. According to the pilot, the tow airplane was at 2000 feet when it turned to the left. The glider pilot stated that he disconnected, but he was unable to make it to Mt. Elmore. The glider continued to sink and struck tree tops before it spun to the ground.
According to an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, the pilot of the glider reported that the glider encountered a downdraft. The glider pilot also reported that there was no mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4194D
- Reported as
- WSK PZL Krosno KR-03A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 03-03
- Airframe hours
- 600
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stowe Soaring
- Registered owner
- Richard Smyth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 15, 1994 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- MVL · VT
- Destination
- MVL · VT
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 244 total · 30 in this make and model · 209 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MPV, 20 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.