Van Sant Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erwinna, Pennsylvania 18920
Friday, November 15, 1991 14:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

JUST AFTER LIFT OFF THE GLIDER BALLOONED ABOVE THE TOW PLANE. THE PILOT USED ELEVATOR CONTROL TO LOWER THE ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE GLIDER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE GLIDER CLIMBED ABOVE THE TOW PLANE AGAIN, THEN PITCHED NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS TYPE OF GLIDER AND HE SAID HE ESTIMATED THE TRIM SETTING BECAUSE HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TRIM SYSTEM ON THIS TYPE OF GLIDER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT ROTATED THE GLIDER PREMATURELY, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO ALLOW RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN GLIDERS, NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF GLIDER, AND IMPROPER TRIM SETTING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ERWINNA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18920
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VAN SANT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9N1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 390
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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) 1961
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46011
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3617C
NTSB Number NYC92LA033
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS-1-36
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-1-36
Aircraft Serial Number 12
Certified Max Gross Weight 710
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 360
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREEDOM'S WINGS INT'L
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1832 LAKE AVE
Aircraft Owner City SCOTCH PLAINS
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07076
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES S. NEITHERCOTT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 732 BUSTLETON PIKE
Operator City RICHBORO
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18954
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 23
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 400
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --