- Date
- October 2, 1994, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alamogordo, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N70792I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941002032439A
- Case key
- 19276
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 encountered turbulence. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain available for the forced landing.
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
During takeoff initial climb, the tow plane and glider flew through a 'dust devil' and the turbulence that was encountered caused slack in the tow line. The glider pilot made a correction for the slack; however, when the tow line became taut, it 'snapped.' Since the glider was less than 200 feet above the ground, the pilot decided to land straight ahead on a road. During final approach, the left wing struck 15 foot high brush which subsequently 'spun the glider around as it impacted the ground.' The left wing spar was damaged, and the tail section was twisted.
Factual narrative
On October 2, 1994, at 1400 mountain daylight time, a Brasov IS-28B2, N70792, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight.
The pilot/operator report stated the following information. During takeoff initial climb, the tow plane and glider flew through a "dust devil" and the turbulence that was encountered produced slack in the tow line. The glider pilot made a correction for the slack; however, when the tow line became taught, it "snapped." Since the glider was less than 200 feet above the ground, the pilot made the decision to land straight ahead on a dirt road. During the final approach, the left wing struck 15 foot high brush which subsequently "spun the glider around as it impacted the ground."
According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the left wing spar was damaged, and the tail section was twisted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N70792
- Reported as
- I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 80
- Airframe hours
- 1,080
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- White Sands Soaring Assoc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 5, 1993
- Destination
- ALM · NM
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 34 total · 5 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °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.