Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arabi, Georgia 31015
Wednesday, June 10, 1992 15:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A GLIDER CONTEST, THERMAL LIFT DISSIPATED. THE PILOT DESCENDED ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE ADDITIONAL THERMALS, UNSUCCESSFULLY. A LARGE PEANUT FIELD WAS SELECTED AS A POSSIBLE LANDING SITE. IT WAS OVERFLOWN AT ABOUT 1500 FEET FOR EVALUATION. POWER LINES ALONG THE FIELD WERE NOT OBSERVED. A LONG STRAIGHT IN APPROACH WAS ESTABLISHED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FOCUSED HIS ATTENTION ON A LONG STORAGE SHED, AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE FIELD,TO AVOID IT BUT, REMAIN CLOSE. CONSEQUENTLY HE DID NOT SEE POWER LINES ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND JUST BEYOND THE SHED. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR CAUGHT THREE WIRES. THE GLIDER NOSED DOWN, THEN IMPACTED THE SOFT, PLOWED GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WHEN HE FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OBSTACLES. FACTORS WERE THE LOSS OF THERMAL LIFT AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ARABI
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31015
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID MCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 354
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4800
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2500
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2187
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46960
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N433TT
NTSB Number ATL92LA120
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 Glaser-Dirks
Aircraft Model DG 300
Aircraft Series Identifier DG 300
Aircraft Serial Number 3E-82
Certified Max Gross Weight 1157
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 75
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DEWALD, CHARLES F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5428 PHEASANT RUN
Aircraft Owner City STONE MOUNTAIN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30087
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DEWALD, CHARLES F.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 5428 PHEASANT RUN
Operator City STONE MOUNTAIN
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30087
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 No
Departure Airport Code 02J
Departure City CORDELE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 02J
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --