Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mayville, New York 14757
Monday, May 28, 1990 15:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR OVER TWO HOURS AND WAS MANEUVERED IN A LEFT TURN, IN A THERMAL WITH SOME TURBULENCE WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WENT FULL LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE STICK FREE AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. HE JETTISONED THE CANOPY, EXITED THE GLIDER, AND DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING ITS UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. POST CRASH EXAMINATION BY THE FAA DISCLOSED THE AILERON PUSH ROD ON THE LEFT WING WAS BENT IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THIS OCCURRED DURING DISASSEMBLY WHEN THE WINGS WERE REMOVED FOR STORAGE ON A TRAILER. THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING WAS ALLOWED TO DROP, WHICH BENT THE PUSH ROD UPWARD. WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WAS MOVED TO FULL LEFT, THE RIVET ON TOP OF THE AILERON PUSH ROD MADE CONTACT WITH THE COLLAR AROUND THE AILERON PUSH ROD AND THE AILERON CONTROL JAMMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

JAMMED FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FLIGHT DUE TO A BENT AILERON PUSH-ROD.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/28/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MAYVILLE
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14757
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1435
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID JHW
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 5000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 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) 1201
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42526
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17EW
NTSB Number NYC90LA114
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 ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER
Aircraft Model LSIF SAILPLANE
Aircraft Series Identifier LSIF SAILP
Aircraft Serial Number 448
Certified Max Gross Weight 860
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 Apr 7 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 413
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIMOTHY W. MARA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 81 JACKSON AVE. NE
Aircraft Owner City JAMESTOWN
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14701
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1235
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Maneuvering
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 --