Highland-Winet Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Highland, Illinois 62249
Sunday, September 24, 1995 12:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THERE WAS CONFUSION BETWEEN THE TOW PILOT AND THE GLIDER PILOTS ON THE PLAN OF WHO WAS GOING TO BE TOWED BY WHAT TOW PLANE. ONE GLIDER PILOT BEGAN RETRIEVING THE TOW ROPE USING AROUND-THE-WAIST FASHION VERSUS USING A TOW ROPE HOOK. THERE WAS CONFUSION ON THE HAND SIGNAL TO STOP THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN THE TOW PILOT AND GLIDER PILOT, AND INSTEAD THE TOW PLANE INCREASED TAXI SPEED TO ABOUT 15 MPH. THE GLIDER PILOT BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE TOW ROPE AND WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND. THE SORING ASSOCIATION DID NOT HAVE A DISPATCHER PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a communication misunderstanding between the tow pilot and the glider pilot. Factors related to the accident were: the tow rope becoming entangled, excessive taxispeed by the tow pilot, and the unavailability of a dispatcher.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HIGHLAND
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62249
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HIGHLAND-WINET
Event Location Nearest Airport ID H07
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 537
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 1
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1425
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7753Z
NTSB Number CHI95LA340
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235B
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235B
Aircraft Serial Number 25-3936
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 4648
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ST. LOUIS SOARING ASSOCIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10028 MANCHESTER RD
Aircraft Owner City GLENDALE
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63122
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 H07
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Taxi
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 36
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --