Terry Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Zionsville, Indiana 46077
Friday, August 22, 1997 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported that the glider was airborne about 30 minutes before the accident occurred. They reported seeing the glider '...too low and too far away' to make a landing at the airport. The pilot radioed over the UNICOM frequency that he was 'low and in trouble,' and he was advised by one individual over UNICOM to look for a 'suitable field to land in.' Witnesses reported seeing the glider in '... level flight, heading south/southwest...and then made a right turn to the north.' They stated the pilot radioed that he was '...going down...' and during a shallow turn '...the aircraft stalled and spun about 2 times....' The glider impacted at a 70 degree, nose down angle and came to rest inverted. All control cables were intact, and flight control continuity was confirmed. The pilot had 1 hour of flight time in this make and model of glider.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and subsequent spin. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in this make and model of glider.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ZIONSVILLE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46077
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TERRY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID I52
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 40
Airport Elevation --
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 5000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1130
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N600JP
NTSB Number CHI97LA271
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model SGS 1-26E
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-26E
Aircraft Serial Number 600
Certified Max Gross Weight 575
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 Nov 1 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 1187
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CENTRAL INDIANA SOARING SOC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8802 BASH STREET SUITE D
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46256
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 I52
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --