Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edgewood, New Mexico 87015
Monday, March 20, 1995 14:17 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE GLIDER PILOT ENTERED 'HEAVY SINK' (DOWNDRAFT) SIXTY THREE MINUTES AFTER TAKE OFF. THE PILOT SELECTED SANDIA EAST AIRPORT WHICH IS 12 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF HIS DEPARTURE POINT FOR LANDING, BUT, COULD NOT REACH IT DUE TO 20 KNOT HEAD WINDS. HE SELECTED A PASTURE FOR HIS SECONDARY LANDING SITE, BUT THERE WAS A HOUSE IN THE WAY. DURING A 180 DEGREE TURN TO MISS THE HOUSE, HIS LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE GLIDER SLID TO A STOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT. THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1417
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City EDGEWOOD
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87015
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 661
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 21 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2353
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51947
NTSB Number FTW95LA144
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 I.C.A. Brasov
Aircraft Model IS-28B2
Aircraft Series Identifier IS-28B2
Aircraft Serial Number 81
Certified Max Gross Weight 1301
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 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 3 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALBUQUERQUE SOARING CLUB, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 11254
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87192
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 No
Departure Airport Code 0E0
Departure City MORIARTY
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --