- Date
- July 24, 2009, 06:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ephrata, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3907ASchweizer SGU 2-22CK
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Glider tow event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090724012819A
- Case key
- 74366
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 premature launch signal given by the wing walker.
Findings · 1
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were onboard the glider readying it for an automobile tow launch. The CFI reported giving the 'take up slack' command to the wing walker, who was steadying the wings. Before the slack was taken up by the tow vehicle driver, the wing walker prematurely gave the launch signal. The tow driver then accelerated and the glider was suddenly launched into the air. The CFI attempted to control the glider by applying full forward elevator and simultaneously attempting to release the tow line. The glider struck the ground with the line still attached and was again launched into the air as the tow truck continued to accelerate. The tow line then released and the nose of the glider struck the ground. The glider sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage structure during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were onboard the glider readying it for an automobile tow launch. The CFI reported giving the 'take up slack' command to the wing walker, who was steadying the wings. Before the slack was taken up by the tow vehicle driver, the wing walker prematurely gave the launch signal. The tow driver then accelerated and the glider was suddenly launched into the air. The CFI attempted to control the glider by applying full forward elevator and simultaneously attempting to release the tow line. The glider struck the ground with the line still attached and was again launched into the air as the tow truck continued to accelerate. The tow line then released and the nose of the glider struck the ground. The glider sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage structure during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3907A
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGU 2-22CK
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 66
- Airframe hours
- 2,190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Civil Air Patrol Inc
- Registered owner
- Civil Air Patrol Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- EPH · Ephrata, WA
- Destination
- EPH · Ephrata, WA
- Airport
- EPH · Ephrata Municipal Airport, runway 29, 3,843 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 11, 2009
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,274 total · 230 in this make and model · 2,735 as pilot in command · 69 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 15
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 0 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- EPH
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 518 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.
Other investigations on N3907A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.