- Date
- November 5, 2016, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Matilda, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N484KSSchempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau DUO Discus
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: AC/prop/rotor contact w person
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161105023239A
- Case key
- 94363
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 bystander's decision to walk onto the runway, which resulted in him being struck by the glider's left wing.
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 of a glider reported that during the landing roll, near the location where he wanted to stop, he felt a "thump." He further reported that he observed a person lying on the ground on the runway and did not see the bystander previously. According to the pilot-rated passenger, who was also the airport manager, the bystander was taking photographs of the glider and had moved onto the runway surface during the landing roll. Subsequently, the bystander was struck by the left wing. He further reported that he also did not see the bystander before the collision. The airport manager reported that the airport had a sign near the runway, which stated "Caution Aircraft Operations." Postaccident, the airport manager reported that he installed cones delineating the boundary of the runway and added an additional sign stating "Remain Behind Cones." The bystander sustained a serious injury. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a glider reported that during the landing roll, near the location where he wanted to stop, he felt a "thump." He further reported that he observed a person lying on the ground on the runway and did not see the bystander previously. According to the pilot-rated passenger, who was also the airport manager, the bystander was taking photographs of the glider and had moved onto the runway surface during the landing roll. Subsequently, the bystander was struck by the left wing. He further reported that he also did not see the bystander before the collision. The airport manager reported that the airport had a sign near the runway, which stated "Caution Aircraft Operations." Postaccident, the airport manager reported that he installed cones delineating the boundary of the runway and added an additional sign stating "Remain Behind Cones." The bystander sustained serious injury. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N484KS
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau DUO Discus
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 679
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 111
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 5, 2016
- Departed
- 09PA · Port Matilda, PA
- Destination
- 09PA · Port Matilda, PA
- Airport
- 09PA · Eagle Field, runway 24, 2,300 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 79
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 11, 2011
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 18,000 total · 111 in this make and model · 17,000 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 622 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- KUNV, 7 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 996 KB 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.