# NTSB CHI96LA165: AS+ AC 4, N29HS, Hartford, WI, May 18, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 18, 1996, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Hartford, WI
- Coordinates: 43.319145, -88.37992 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3191&lon=-88.3799&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report July 11, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 10252
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI96LA165
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10252/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA165

## Probable cause

lack of airspeed control by the pilot, while maneuvering.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - airspeed(vne) - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - bail-out/emergency ejection - performed, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

The pilot was performing aerobatic maneuvers in the glider.  He reported that after executing a loop, he entered the glider into a spin.  The pilot wrote that during the recovery from the spin the airspeed went above the never exceed velocity for the glider, and the glider developed severe airframe flutter.  The pilot exited the glider at approximately 2,070 feet mean sea level, and deployed the parachute which he was wearing.  The glider's composite skins on the horizontal stabilizer, elevator, left wing and fuselage sustained skin wrinkling and were delaminated in the accident.

## Factual narrative

On May 18, 1996, at 1500 central daylight time (cdt), a Russian AS+LTD glider, N29HS, was substantially damaged after it collided with terrain, following an uncontrolled descent.  The private pilot exited the aircraft during the uncontrolled descent and deployed the parachute which he was wearing.  The pilot sustained serious injuries in the accident.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the local 14 CFR Part 91 flight, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot wrote on the NTSB form 6120.1/2 that he was performing aerobatic maneuvers in the glider.  The pilot wrote that after executing a loop he slowed the glider down, and then entered the glider into a spin.  The pilot reported that after executing approximately 300 degrees of rotation in the spin he began a recovery.  The pilot wrote that the rotation stopped, but the airspeed went above the never exceed velocity for the glider during the recovery.  The pilot wrote that the glider then developed severe flutter, and pulling back on the stick more caused the flutter to intensify.  The pilot reported that jettisoning the canopy resulted in an uncommanded roll of the glider to inverted.  After the uncommanded roll the pilot reported that he exited the glider at approximately 2,070 feet mean sea level.

The glider's composite skins on the horizontal stabilizer, elevator, left wing and fuselage sustained wrinkling and were delaminated in the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N29HS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29HS), registered now, S/N 022, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AS+ Ltd. AC 4
- Registry model: [AS+ AC 4](https://openairdocs.org/model/as-plus-ac-4) (registry code 05628R1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 021
- Airframe hours: 1
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Hubert Smith Jr
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, May 10, 1996, 1 hours before
- Departed: HXF
- Destination: HXF

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 405 total, 3 in this make and model, 339 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: UNU, 15 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19960518010759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960518010759A), May 18, 1996: Hartford, WI, Substantial damage. On test flight, glider started to spin, no controls, inverted, pilot bailed out, crashed short of airport. (-23) on may 18, 1996, at 1500 CST, an as+ ltd AC-4,…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.