- Date
- July 31, 2004, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Windsor, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N127FPSchleicher ASW-27
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20040731031079A
- Case key
- 59814
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 improper use of a navigation aid, which resulted in him becoming lost, and having to perform a 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
As the pilot was attempting to return to the airport after a soaring flight, he could not visually obtain it. The pilot then attempted to use GPS data to locate the airport, but another airport was mistakenly selected in the GPS unit. As the altitude of the glider continued to decay, the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field. Upon touching down in the field, the glider encountered a ditch, and came to rest upright.
Factual narrative
On July 31, 2004, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-27 glider, N127FP, was substantially damaged during a forced landing while approaching the Garner Airport (3VA8), Windsor, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he was attempting to return to the Garner Airport after a soaring flight; however, he could not visually obtain it. The pilot then attempted to use GPS data to locate the airport; however, another airport was mistakenly selected in the GPS unit. As the pilot continued to locate the airport, the altitude of the glider continued to decay, and he elected to perform a forced landing to a field. Upon touching down in the field, the glider encountered a ditch, and came to rest upright.
The winds reported at a nearby airport were from 160 degrees at 10, gusting to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N127FP
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASW-27
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 27065
- Airframe hours
- 403
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert F. Atherton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2004
- Departed
- 3VA8 · Windsor, VA
- Airport
- 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Recreational
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2003
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 6,382 total · 283 in this make and model · 5,694 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- FKN, 10 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.