- Date
- April 28, 1986, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Julian, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19860428070511A19860428070512A
- Case key
- 30184
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The plt of N686U reported he was established in weak thermal at an alt of aprx 2500 AGL when two other gliders were seen. One at aprx the same alt and one below his alt. He continued to state that the glider which was at his alt passed very close to but underneath his glider. He stated he momentarily lost sight of the glider before seeing it turn and and continue in the thermal, however, because of his gliders attitude he was unable to maintain visual contact with the other glider. N686U was then struck from the right rear by N40MS. Both plts then lost control of their gliders which descended to ground impact.
The plt of N686U reported he was established in a weak thermal at an alt of aprx 2500 AGL when two other gliders were seen. One at aprx the same alt and one below his alt. He continued to state that the glider which was at his alt passed very close to but underneath his glider. He stated he momentarily lost sight of the glider before seeing it turn and and continue in the thermal, however, because of his gliders attitude he was unable to maintain visual contact with the other glider. N686U was then struck from the right rear by N40MS. Both plts then lost control of their gliders which descended to ground impact.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N40MS
- Reported as
- Glaser-Dirks DIRK-DG-400 (DIRK-DG-40)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 4-50
- Engine
- Rotax BOMBARDIER, 43 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Malcolm Stevenson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Julian, PA
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.
- Registration
- N686U
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS-1-26B
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 305
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pat L. De Naples
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Julian, PA
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, aircraft N40MS
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 11,475 total · 373 in this make and model · 11,390 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N686U
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 5,250 total · 500 in this make and model · 3,025 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.