Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winter Haven, Florida 33880
Sunday, April 3, 1988 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT ENTERED THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR LANDING WHEN THE PLT OBSERVED A GLIDER PARKED 600 FT FROM THE PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT. HE ELECTED TO LAND TO THE LEFT OF THE GLIDER & AFTER TURNING BASE THEN FINAL, OBSERVED INDIVIDUALS PUSHING IT TOWARDS THE PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT. HE ELECTED TO LAND BETWEEN THE APCH END AND THE GLIDER. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING. THE NOSE OF HIS GLIDER DUG INTO THE GROUND THEN CAME TO REST. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE FLOWN OVER THE GLIDER THEN LANDED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WINTER HAVEN
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33880
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WINTER HAVEN'S GILBERT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 146
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 257
Weather Observation Facility ID LAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36115
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N999WC
NTSB Number MIA88LA140
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 Start & Flug
Aircraft Model H101 SALTO
Aircraft Series Identifier H101 SALTO
Aircraft Serial Number 56
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 7 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 450
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SALTO SOARING CO. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 4 BOX 669
Aircraft Owner City BOONE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28607
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FREEDOM SPORTS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3000 21 ST. NW
Operator City WINTER HAVEN
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33881
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 1358
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --