Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Freemont County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Canon City, Colorado 81212
Sunday, December 27, 1998 11:15 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During initial climb from takeoff, the rear canopy of the glider opened. When the pilot reached to close the canopy, the glider ballooned above the tow plane. The pilot turned the glider to the left and lowered the nose to maintain airspeed. The glider then impacted the ground before he leveled out. According to the passenger and several witnesses, prior to takeoff, the glider pilot signaled the tow pilot that he was ready for takeoff. However, the departure was halted so that the glider pilot could be given a handheld radio in order for communications to be established between the glider and the tow plane. The glider pilot opened the canopy in order to receive the radio, then re-closed it. The first ground scars were observed approximately 1,100 feet prior to the end of the paved section of runway 29, and an additional 800 feet of dirt extends beyond the runway prior to the existence of any obstructions. At the request of an FAA inspector, a postaccident examination of the rear canopy latch was performed. According to the mechanic who performed the inspection, 'the rear canopy latch was found to be operational.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The glider pilot's failure to follow proper preflight procedures, and his failure to control the aircraft when the latch opened during flight. A factor was his failure to properly latch the canopy, and to utilize all available runway during the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/27/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1115 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | CANON CITY |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81212 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | FREEMONT COUNTY AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IV6 |
| 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 | 5439 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1421 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 27 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1215 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N173SS |
| NTSB Number | DEN99LA028 |
| 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 | G103 TWIN ASTIR |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | G103 TWIN |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3286 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 700 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JOHN M. DUPREY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 625 FOREST VIEW WAY |
| Aircraft Owner City | MONUMENT |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80132 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | PEAK SOARING |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 60295 HWY 50, BLDG 30 |
| Operator City | PENROSE |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 81240 |
| 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 | 1V6 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1110 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 29 |
| Runway Length | 5399 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |