- Date
- August 3, 1996, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Forrest City, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N445MSchleicher KA6-CR
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960803020759A
- Case key
- 19931
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 abort the takeoff. Factors were the dust restricting his visibility and the uneven 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
According to the pilot, the glider lost lift while on a local glider flight and he elected to execute an off-airport landing on a dirt road approximately 4 miles from the airport. The tow plane landed on the road to retrieve the glider. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll from the crowned and uneven dirt road, a heavy dust cloud was created by the tow plane, and he was unable to maintain directional control. The glider impacted a steel foot bridge crossing an irrigation ditch.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 1996, at 1430 central daylight time, a Schleicher KA6-CR glider, N445M, registered to and operated by a private owner was substantially damaged following a loss of control during takeoff near Forrest City, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured during the personal flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the Forrest City Municipal Airport at approximately 1330.
According to the pilot, the glider lost lift while on a local glider flight and he elected to execute an off-airport landing on a dirt road approximately 4 miles from the airport. The tow plane landed on the road to retrieve the glider. The pilot added that during the takeoff roll from the crowned and uneven dirt road, a heavy dust cloud was created by the tow plane, and he was unable to maintain directional control. The glider impacted a steel foot bridge crossing an irrigation ditch and sustained structural damage to the aft portion of the airframe.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N445M
- Reported as
- Schleicher KA6-CR
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 6506
- Airframe hours
- 415
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David W. Cahoon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 1996 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- FCY · Forrest City, AR
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
- 45
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 60 in this make and model · 2,600 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 30 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.