- Date
- April 23, 2009, 09:58 local (13:58 UTC)
- Place
- Fairfield, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N818FMRolladen-Schneider LS8-18
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 28, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090423009309A
- Case key
- 73714
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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed while turning on to final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
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
According to witnesses, the glider was towed toward the mountains west of the airport, where the cable was released. The glider circled for about 10 minutes, but failed to gain lift. The glider proceeded to the south end of the airport, where it continued to circle and lose altitude. Approximately 400 yards short of the approach end of Runway 33, the glider made a steep left turn to enter the final approach, when it "suddenly snapped 90 degrees, wings vertical, then nosed into the ground." The tow pilot stated that the area where the accident occurred was known for its turbulent conditions. Winds at the time were recorded at an airport 18 miles to the west, from 290 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 24 knots. The pilot was sent an NTSB Form 6120.1, Pilot/Operator report, but had not completed it at the time of this report.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the glider sustained serious injuries when, according to witnesses, the glider was towed toward the mountains west of the airport, where the cable was released. The glider circled for about 10 minutes, but failed to gain lift. The glider proceeded to the south end of the airport, where it continued to circle and lose altitude. Approximately 400 yards short of the approach end of runway 33, the glider made a steep left turn to enter the final approach, when it "suddenly snapped 90 degrees, wings vertical, then nosed into the ground." The tow pilot stated the area where the accident occurred was known for its turbulent conditions. Winds at the time were recorded at an airport 18 miles to the west, from 290 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 24 knots. The pilot was sent an NTSB Form 6120.1, Pilot/Operator report, but had not completed it at the time of this report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N818FM
- Reported as
- Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 8394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mueller Frederick Karl
- Registered owner
- Mueller Frederick Karl
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- W73 · Fairfield, PA
- Destination
- W73 · Fairfield, PA
- Airport
- W73 · Mid Atlantic Soaring Center, runway 33, 2,700 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Commercial, Private, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 14, 2009
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 10,400 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 21 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HGR, 18 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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.