- Date
- August 8, 2004, 15:46 local (20:46 UTC)
- Place
- Hutchinson, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N25KDGlasflugel H301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Wichita KS FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040808024809A
- Case key
- 59984
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 improper decision to change the landing area at a low altitude and the inadequate flare that resulted in a hard landing.
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 sustained substantial damage when it landed hard during an off airport landing to a field. The pilot reported that he had been towed to 2,000 feet above ground level (agl). He was trying to find lift but he reported that the lift was "choppy and broken, difficult to center and work." His altitude was 1,500 feet agl when he was four miles northwest of the field. He attempted to fly back to the airport but he encountered turbulence and loss of lift. He decided to land in a field when his altitude was 800 feet agl. He lowered the landing gear and put in full flaps and set up for landing in a green field. When he recognized the field was a crop he turned toward a dirt field, but he encountered "heavy sink and turbulence." He reported that he leveled the wings prior to landing but landed hard. The glider skidded to a stop after traveling about 75-100 feet.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 2004, at 1546 central daylight time, a Glasflugel H301 glider, N25KD, sustained substantial damage during an off airport landing to a field near Hutchinson, Kansas. The pilot received minor injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight departed the Sunflower Aerodrome (SN76), Hutchinson, Kansas, at 1501 on a local soaring flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he had been towed to 2,000 feet above ground level (agl). He was trying to find lift but he reported that the lift was "choppy and broken, difficult to center and work." His altitude was 1,500 feet agl when he was four miles northwest of the field. He attempted to fly back to the airport but he encountered turbulence and loss of lift. He reported that he decided to land in a field when his altitude was 800 feet agl. He lowered the landing gear and put in full flaps and set up for landing in a green field. When he recognized the field was a crop he turned toward a dirt field, but he encountered "heavy sink and turbulence." He reported that he leveled the wings prior to landing but landed hard. The glider skidded to a stop after traveling about 75-100 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25KD
- Reported as
- Glasflugel H301
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 59
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard Stone
- Registered owner
- Richard Stone
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- SN76 · Hutchinson, KS
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 5,154 total · 15 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- HUT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.