- Date
- September 30, 1990, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Richmond, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8WSchleicher ASW-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 14446
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 retraction of the flaps allowing the glider to settle into an unusually low tow altitude.
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
Shortly after becoming airborne the pilot retracted the flaps while in a normal low-tow position. The pilot noted that the glider then settled into an extremely low-tow position. He hesitated on making any attitude corrections fearing it would cause the tow aircraft to stall. At an altitude of approximately 180 ft, the glider pilot released the tow line and lined up for a forced landing in a field. During the final approach to the field. The right wing contacted a tree and the airplane descended to ground impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8W
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASW-22
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 22014
- Airframe hours
- 450
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91 subpart F
- Registered owner
- Aero Marine, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 18, 1990 · 18 hours before
- Airport
- 69G · Richmond, runway 36, 2,620 × 100 ft
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 6,444 total · 51 in this make and model · 6,444 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F