Hardin County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savannah, Tennessee 38372
Sunday, August 26, 1990 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED. DESPITE FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS TO COUNTERACT THE WIND, A WINGTIP DRAGGED THE GROUND, AND THE GLIDER BROKE UP. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS ABOUT 101 DEGREES AT THE TIME, AND THE AIR WAS ROUGH AND TURBULENT. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT GLIDER OPERATIONS AT THE AIRPORT WERE CANCELLED THE NEXT DAY DUE TO THE ROUGH AIR. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE GLIDER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF THE FLIGHT. FACTORS WERE: GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS AND TURBULENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SAVANNAH
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38372
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HARDIN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SNH
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 473
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 434
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1912
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43808
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60DF
NTSB Number ATL90LA162
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 I.C.A. Brasov
Aircraft Model IS-28B2
Aircraft Series Identifier IS-28B2
Aircraft Serial Number 111
Certified Max Gross Weight 1308
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HORST L.A. HONSA
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, BOX 72A
Aircraft Owner City SAVANNAH
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38372
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HONSA, HORST L. A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 1. BOX 72A
Operator City SAVANNAH
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38372
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 1600
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SNH
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 36
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --