- Date
- July 20, 1997, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Menominee Falls, WI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N79106Schweizer SGS 2-8
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970720019059A
- Case key
- 10634
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 slippage of the glider launch equipment (winch). Factors were the pilot's encounter with a stall/spin and the lack of possibility for remedial action to avoid impact with the terrain.
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 pilot was using a winch tow to launch the glider. During the launch, the glider became airborne; however, when the pilot increased the angle of attack, the glider entered a stall/spin and subsequently impacted the terrain. Postaccident examination revealed that the automatic transmission on the winch slipped, when tension was applied to the cable.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 1997, at 1500 central daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 2-8 (glider), N79106, sustained substantial damage during a takeoff attempt from runway 18 (1,865' x 100' dry/turf), near Menominee Falls, Wisconsin. The pilot received serious injuries. A winch tow was being conducted when the accident occurred. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was being conducted in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot said that during the winch launch, the glider became airborne; however, when he increased the angle of attack, the airspeed decreased, and the glider entered a stall/spin. He said this occurred from about 100 feet above the ground and he was unable to recover prior to impact. The pilot stated that the winch used for the launch failed. He thought that the "most likely" problem was with the automatic transmission.
A post accident examination revealed that when weight drag (weight) was applied to the winch cable, the automatic transmission slipped and would not reel in the cable.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79106
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-8
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 57
- Airframe hours
- 1,369
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Frederick F. Flood
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 1997 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 76C
- Airport
- 76C · Aero Park, runway 18, 1,865 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,195 total · 767 in this make and model · 2,994 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KMW, 10 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.