North Raleigh Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Franklinton, North Carolina 27549
Thursday, May 30, 1996 14:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor pilot stated that the student pilot was operating the aircraft controls during the landing approach. The glider started to drift right of the runway centerline. As the glider drifted farther, the instructor took over the controls. He reported having full deflection of the flight controls to counteract the drift, but the glider continued to drift. The right wing tip of the glider then hit trees, and the glider spun until it came to rest in the trees approximately ten feet off the ground. The instructor pilot reported that the trees are about 25 feet from the edge of the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the instructor pilot to maintain control of the aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1420
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRANKLINTON
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27549
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTH RALEIGH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 00NC
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 348
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 436
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 900
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 510
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1996 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 8 2000 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1197S
NTSB Number ATL96LA089
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 Schweizer
Aircraft Model SGS233A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS233A
Aircraft Serial Number 0197
Certified Max Gross Weight 1030
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 Sep 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2050
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAROLINA GLIDING
Aircraft Owner Street Address HIGHWAY 56 W PO BOX 703
Aircraft Owner City LOUISBURG
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27549
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN WILIAM STYER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 128 BRAMBLE CT
Operator City YOUNGSVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27596
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 00NC
Departure City NORTH RALEIGH
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 36
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --