Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chester, South Carolina 29706
Friday, April 22, 1988 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE THERMALING DURING THE SAILPLANE COMPETITION, N45BD WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER AND TO THE LEFT OF N295SZ. N45BD MADE A RIGHT TURN AND STRUCK THE RIGHT INBOARD WING SECTION OF N295SZ WITH THE OUTBOARD WING TIP OF N45BD. THE OUTBOARD WING TIP OF N45BD SEPARATED AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO PARACHUTE TO SAFETY. THE PILOT OF N295SZ WAS ABLE TO LAND HIS SAILPLANE SAFELY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHESTER
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29706
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 459
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 22 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36165
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N45BD N295SZ
NTSB Number ATL88LA149A ATL88LA149B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rolladen-Schneider Rolladen-Schneider
Aircraft Model LS-4 LS-4
Aircraft Series Identifier LS-4 LS-4
Aircraft Serial Number 4091 4566
Certified Max Gross Weight 800 800
Aircraft Category Glider Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1 1
Number of Engines -- --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 26 1988 12:00AM May 24 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours 800 357
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated Yes Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN F GOOD DONALD S WASNESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6 WHITTEMORE TERRACE 462 WEBBER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WAKEFIELD SPARTANBURG
Aircraft Owner State MA SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01880
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name JOHN F. GOOD DONALD S. WASNESS
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 6 WHITMORE TERRACE 462 WEBBER ROAD
Operator City WAKEFIELD SPARTANBURG
Operator State MA SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01880 29302
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code 9A6 9A6
Departure City CHESTER CHESTER
Departure State SC SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --