- Date
- May 11, 1985, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Chattanooga, OK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5285XChampion 7KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850511016589A
- Case key
- 21746
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 tow launching a glider. When about 200 feet above ground level and for unknown reasons the glider suddenly gained unwanted altitude and climbed above the tow plane. This pitched the nose of the tow plane downward before the tow line could be released. Release was accomplished by both pilots, however, the tow plane was unable to recover and ground impact occurred at about a 45 degree nose down altitude with the left wing low. The glider pilot circled back to the runway and made a successful landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5285X
- Reported as
- Champion 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 219
- Airframe hours
- 1,724
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lawton Flying Club
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 19, 1985 · 10 hours before
- Airport
- 92F · Sky Harbor
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
- 50
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,182 total · 77 in this make and model · 95 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.