- Date
- September 5, 2009, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ionia, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N161HPKetonen Schreder
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Glider tow event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090905049079A
- Case key
- 74712
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 maintain control of the glider during the aero-tow launch.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the amateur-built glider was a few feet higher than it should be in relation to the tow airplane after liftoff, so he attempted to lower the glider. He expected the ground effect to slow his descent rate, but the glider continued to descend. He put in aft stick but the wheel contacted the turf at the same time. The glider then bounced and he put in forward stick pressure. The glider hit the runway hard and the pilot released the tow line. The inspection of the aircraft revealed that the glider’s fuselage had separated from the forward section of the glider during the hard landing resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the aircraft prior to the occurrence.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the amateur-built glider was a few feet higher than it should be in relation to the tow airplane after liftoff, so he attempted to lower the glider. He expected the ground effect to slow his descent rate, but the glider continued to descend. He put in aft stick but the wheel contacted the turf at the same time. The glider bounced and he put in forward stick pressure. The glider hit the runway hard and the pilot released the tow line. The inspection of the aircraft revealed that the glider’s fuselage had separated from the forward section of the glider during the hard landing resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the aircraft prior to the occurrence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N161HP
- Reported as
- Ketonen Schreder
- Category
- Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number
- EAK03
- Airframe hours
- 561
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cadillac Soaring LLC
- Registered owner
- Cadillac Soaring LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 20, 2009
- Departed
- Y70 · Ionia, MI
- Destination
- Y70 · Ionia, MI
- Airport
- Y70 · Ionia County Airport, runway 09, 4,300 × 150 ft
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Flight hours
- 67 total · 3 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 544 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.