Morgan Co. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morgan, Utah 84050
Tuesady, April 3, 1990 18:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT WITH SOLO ENDORSEMENT FOR GLIDERS, REPORTED THAT THE TOW LINE BROKE AT 650 FEET AGL DURING INITIAL CLIMB. HE ELECTED TO RETURN FOR A DOWNWIND LANDING BUT OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY. HE PLANNED AN APPROACH TO ROUGH TERRAIN OFF THE AIRPORT. DURING TOUCHDOWN FLARE, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE AND THE PLANE SLEWED TO THE RIGHT, STRUCK A DIRT EMBANKMENT, AND CAME TO REST WITH THE TAIL ON A FENCE. THE RIGHT WING WAS BROKEN SEVEN FEET FROM THE TIP, THE NOSE CONE WAS CRUSHED, AND THE ELEVATORS AND FUSELAGE WERE BENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SEPARATION OF THE TOW ROPE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ESTABLISH AN APPROPRIATE DESCENT RATE AS HE RETURNED TO LAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TAILWIND AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING BEYOND THE RUNWAY END.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MORGAN
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84050
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MORGAN CO.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 42U
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 5100
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 691
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1507
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41691
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2048T
NTSB Number DEN90LA086
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 2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 2-33A
Aircraft Serial Number 478
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRATER SOARING, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2602 WEST 6075 SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City ROY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84067
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 42U
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 42U
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 3
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --