Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bermuda High Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lancaster, South Carolina 29720
Saturday, March 22, 1997 14:30 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After a normal flight, the pilot maneuvered the glider for landing at a gliderport. According to him, the pattern entry was normal, but his turn onto final approach was late, which made the glider low and slow to the 4,000 foot long runway. The pilot stated he 'landed' in 50 foot tall trees, 200 feet short of the runway. Witnesses indicated the glider's spoilers were extended, while on final approach. Damage to the glider also indicated that the spoilers were not retracted at the time of collision with the trees. The pilot did not recall the spoiler's position. He had flown three launches on the previous day with an instructor, but he had not flown during the winter, prior to that. Also, he had only about 3 hours of flight time in this make and model of glider.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper use of the spoilers, while approaching to land, which allowed the glider to get low on final approach and strike trees. The pilot's lack of recent flying experience and lack of experience in the make and model of glider were related factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/22/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | LANCASTER |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29720 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | BERMUDA HIGH GLIDERPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SC79 |
| 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 | 210 |
| Airport Elevation | 550 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1451 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CLT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 749 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 85 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| 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) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 18 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 25 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2000 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 315 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 22 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1634 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N54553 |
| NTSB Number | ATL97LA052 |
| 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 | Burkhart Grob |
| Aircraft Model | G-103-TWIN II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | G-103-TWIN |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3872 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1279 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 16 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 74 |
| Airframe Hours | 1501 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BELL AVIATION, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2404 EDMUND HIGHWAY |
| Aircraft Owner City | WEST COLUMBIA |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29170 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | MARK C. BAUR |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 201 ELM STREET |
| Operator City | NORTHFIELD |
| Operator State | MN |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 55057 |
| 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 | SC79 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| 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 | Approach |
| 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 | 3 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |