Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Warren Sugarbush Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Warren, Vermont 05674
Monday, October 5, 1998 14:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During takeoff for a glider tow operation, the towplane and the glider both became airborne. An FAA Inspector witnessed the takeoff and said his attention was drawn to the 'erratic pitch changes' of the glider. The glider pilot's canopy was open, and the pilot repeatedly attempted to close the canopy. Pitch changes and climbs above the tow plane accompanied each attempt to close the canopy. As the towrope reached a vertical position, the towplane struck the ground, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The towrope separated, and the glider continued past the towplane, rolled left to an inverted position and impacted the ground. The towrope in use at the time of the accident employed a 'Sweitzer Ring' to attach at the tow plane and a 'Tost Ring' to attach at the glider. Both rings were attached to their respective airplanes and both release mechanisms were operational. According to the 1998 Soaring Flight Manual sponsored by the Soaring Society of America: 'When the sailplane is too high, it can pull the tail of the towplane up, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the towplane to take off... If corrective action is not taken, the only alternative for the tow pilot is to release the towline...If for any reason, the sailplane pilot loses sight of the towplane, he should release immediately.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The glider pilot's failure to perform the emergency tow release and abort the takeoff. A factor in the accident was the glider pilot's improper decision to make repeated attempts to close the canopy in flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/5/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | WARREN |
| Event State | VERMONT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 05674 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | WARREN SUGARBUSH AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 0B7 |
| 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 | 1470 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 113 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MPV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1165 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 21 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1795 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 5 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 9 2001 10:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5213G | N103VT |
| NTSB Number | IAD99FA004A | IAD99FA004B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna | Burkhart Grob |
| Aircraft Model | 305A | G 103C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 305A | G 103C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 21573 | 34141 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2100 | 1323 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Glider |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 15 1998 12:00AM | Aug 12 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 262 | 98 |
| Airframe Hours | 13194 | 1873 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | No |
| ELT Activated | Yes | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RED TAIL AVIATION, INC | SUGARBUSH SOARING ASSOCIATION |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 10 THE COMMONS | WARREN SUGARBUSH AIRPORT |
| Aircraft Owner City | MORETOWN | WARREN |
| Aircraft Owner State | VT | VT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | ||
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 05660 | 05674 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- | -- |
| Operator Name | ||
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | ||
| Operator City | ||
| Operator State | ||
| Operator Country | ||
| Operator Zip code | ||
| Operator Code | ||
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown | 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) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 0B7 | 0B7 |
| Departure City | ||
| Departure State | ||
| Departure Country | ||
| Departure Time | 1430 | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | ||
| Destination City | ||
| Destination State | ||
| Destination Country | ||
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 4 | 4 |
| Runway Length | 2575 | 2575 |
| Runway Width | 30 | 30 |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |