Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairfield, Pennsylvania 17320
Saturday, April 9, 1988 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF N311DP STATED HE SAW N34JH COMING TOWARD HIS GLIDER, SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET HIGHER AND SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. HE WATCHED THE GLIDER PASS BY AT AN ALT OF 3,000 FT. APRX 30 SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE AFTER HE SAW N34JH PASS BY, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND HIS GLIDER PITCHED UP. HIS SPOILERS DEPLOYED AS WELL AS HIS LANDING GEAR. HE RETRACTED HIS SPOILERS AND LANDING GEAR AND LANDED THE GLIDER UNEVENTFULLY. THE GLIDER, N34JH, WAS SEEN BY A WITNESS SPIRALING TO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N34JH TO SEE AND AVOID N311DP.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FAIRFIELD
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17320
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 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 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 345
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2501
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39784
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 #2

Aircraft Registration Number N34JH N311DP
NTSB Number NYC88LA125A NYC88LA125B
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 SCHLEICHER SCHLEICHER
Aircraft Model ASW-20 ASW-20
Aircraft Series Identifier ASW-20 ASW-20
Aircraft Serial Number 20354 20831
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000 1000
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 0 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 12 1988 12:00AM Sep 5 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9 41
Airframe Hours 415 203
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER W. BOGIE DAVID H. PIXTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 103-E PROSPERITY AVE. 8206 LOOKOUT LANE
Aircraft Owner City LEESBURG FREDERICK
Aircraft Owner State VA MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22075 21701
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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
Departure City FAIRFIELD FAIRFIELD
Departure State PA PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Cruise
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 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --