Richters Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

East Lynne, Missouri 64743
Saturday, November 13, 1999 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while on short final to runway 18, at an altitude of 350 feet agl, the glider encountered a gust of wind and it turned left of the runway heading. He elected to perform a 360 degree turn to the left to realign the glider with the runway heading. The pilot stated that while on a northerly heading turbulence and a sink rate were encountered. He was unable to level the wings and the glider stalled, impacting the terrain. A glider pilot who witnessed the accident reported the glider was landing to the north, downwind, when the accident occurred. He reported it was common for them to land with a tailwind of 10 knots of less to minimize ground handling. The glider wreckage was located southeast of the runway. The pilot reported the local winds were from the northwest at 2 knots. The witness reported the local winds were from 200 degrees at 10 knots. The winds reported 18 miles northwest of the accident site, 23 minutes after the accident, were from 220 degrees at 15 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

inadequate airspeed and a subsequent stall. Factors associated with the accident were the tailwind, the pilot's misjudgment of the wind condition, and poor inflight planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City EAST LYNNE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64743
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RICHTERS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 86K
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 915
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID GVW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1090
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 29
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) 733
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 13 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7646
NTSB Number CHI00LA033
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-1-34
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-1-34
Aircraft Serial Number 26
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
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 Sep 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 1419
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIDWESTERN SOARING ASSN., INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 13796
Aircraft Owner City KANSAS CITY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64199
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 86K
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 86K
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --