Flying X Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montevallo, Alabama 35115
Saturday, June 2, 1990 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE GLIDER PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN AEROTOW TAKEOFF UTILIZING A CESSNA 150 AS A TOW PLANE. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE TOW PLANE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. WHEN THE GLIDER PILOT REALIZED THAT THE TOW PLANE HAD ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, HE WAS ALREADY AIRBORNE AND DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT RUNWAY LEFT TO LAND. WHILE MANEUVERING THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENT INVESGIATION REVEALED NO MECHANIC MALFUNCTIONS WITH EITHER THE GLIDER OR THE TOW PLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INATTENTIVENESS OF THE GLIDER PILOT TO THE ABORTED TAKEOFF OF THE TOW PLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS DELAYED ACTION IN ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING. THESE ACTIONS RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MONTEVALLO
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35115
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING X
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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 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) 1251
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42430
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 N34431
NTSB Number ATL90LA125
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 1-26E
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-26E
Aircraft Serial Number 631
Certified Max Gross Weight 700
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 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 No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BIRMINGHAM SOARING SOCIETY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 20053
Aircraft Owner City BIRMINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35216
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Takeoff
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 2400
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --