Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Barre, Massachusetts 01005
Saturday, June 2, 1990 12:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CLIMB OUT WITH THE GLIDER IN TOW, THE TOWPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT SIGNALED FOR AN EMERGENCY GLIDER RELEASE AT 200 FEET AGL. THE ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW FOR THE GLIDER TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT OR REACH SUITABLE TERRAIN. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES. ENGINE POWER TO THE TOWPLANE INCREASED AFTER THE GLIDER RELEASE. THE TOWPLANE CONTINUED FLIGHT AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PREMATURE COMMANDED TOW RELEASE BY THE TOWPLANE PILOT OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BARRE
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01005
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
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2320
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45946
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3836H
NTSB Number NYC90LA124
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 Burkhart Grob
Aircraft Model G103
Aircraft Series Identifier G103
Aircraft Serial Number 3836
Certified Max Gross Weight 1279
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 1364
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NEW ENG.SOARING ASSOC.,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O.BOX 155,TANNER/HILLER ARPT
Operator City NEW BRAINTREE
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01531
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 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Climb
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --