- Date
- October 20, 2012, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Roseland, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4KNAB Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121020023469A
- Case key
- 85392
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 glider control during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot stated that as the glider reached flying speed, it began to oscillate with the right wing dipping and impacting the grass runway, which resulted in a loss of control. The tow line disconnected, as designed, and the glider came to rest in an inverted position. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that as the glider reached flying speed it began to oscillate with the right wing dipping and impacting the grass runway, which resulted in a loss of control. The tow line disconnected, as designed, and the glider came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot sustained minor injuries. A post-accident examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4KN
- Reported as
- AB Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 156
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Loken Halvar Y
- Registered owner
- Loken Halvar Y
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 27, 2012 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- N/A · Roseland, VA
- Destination
- N/A · Roseland, VA
- Airport
- N/A · Tinker Field, runway 21, 2,400 × 200 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
- 46
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 2, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 11,020 total · 0 in this make and model · 9,605 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- LYH, 30 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.9 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.