Ionia County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ionia, Michigan 48846
Sunday, August 14, 1994 14:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PARTICIPATING IN A SOARING CONTEST. HE RELEASED FROM THE TOW AIRPLANE AT 1900 FEET AGL, SEVEN MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. HE REPORTED HE IMMEDIATELY ENCOUNTERED HIGH WIND CONDITIONS AND A SINK RATE. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT. HE MADE AN INTENTIONAL LANDING IN SOME BUSHY TREES AND SCRUB BRUSH ONE MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

no thermal lift available, and the lack of suitable terrain for landing. A factor related to the accident was the high wind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/14/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City IONIA
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48846
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport IONIA COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Y70
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 812
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1803
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 14 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6514M
NTSB Number CHI94LA280
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHLEICHER
Aircraft Model ASW-20
Aircraft Series Identifier ASW-20
Aircraft Serial Number 20801
Certified Max Gross Weight 1001
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 16 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT H. WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 61 STONEGATE RD.
Aircraft Owner City LAKE FOREST
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60045
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Y70
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MOP
Destination City MOUNT PLEASANT
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --