- Date
- August 8, 2006, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Julian, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N93FRSchempp-Hirth Discus-2CT
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060808021529A
- Case key
- 64301
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 delayed decision to restart the glider's engine. A factor in the accident was a loss of thermal lift.
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, he had performed a cross country glider flight and was returning to his home airport, around dusk, when the glider "got a bit low." The pilot attempted to start the glider's engine, at approximately 1,200 feet AGL, but was unsuccessful, because he could not maintain the required excessive nose down attitude for engine start. The pilot then initiated a 180 degree turn to perform a forced landing to a field. During the turn, the glider encountered "very strong sink," and impacted the edge of a residence. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the glider. He also stated that he should have "abandoned glider flight" and started the engine when he was in the vicinity of an airport.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he had performed a cross country glider flight and was returning to his home airport, around dusk, when the glider "got a bit low." The pilot attempted to start the glider's engine, at approximately 1,200 feet AGL, but was unsuccessful, because he could not maintain the required excessive nose down attitude for engine start. The pilot then initiated a 180 degree turn to perform a forced landing to a field. During the turn, the glider encountered "very strong sink," and impacted the edge of a residence. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the glider. He also stated that he should have "abandoned glider flight" and started the engine when he was in the vicinity of an airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93FR
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth Discus-2CT
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 2
- Airframe hours
- 70
- Engine
- Solo 2350, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Frank Pascale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 79N · Julian, PA
- Destination
- 79N
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2005
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 669 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- UNV, 4 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.