Hammonton Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hammonton, New Jersey 08037
Saturday, July 2, 1988 15:31 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE GLIDER PILOT WAS IN A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 3, WHEN HE REALIZED THE GLIDER WAS TOO LOW. REPORTEDLY, HE TRIED TO 'STRETCH' HIS GLIDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER STALLED & ENTERED A SPIN AT ABOUT 500 TO 600 FT AGL. THE PILOT INITIATED SPIN RECOVERY PROCEDURES, BUT THE GLIDER CRASHED BEFORE HE RECOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE GLIDER PILOT'S FAILURE TO AVOID THE STALL/SPIN ENCOUNTERED DURING LOW ALTITUDE OPERATION IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1531
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAMMONTON
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08037
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAMMONTON MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N81
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 69
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
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) 31
Density Altitude (feet) 700
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2534
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42554
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8619R
NTSB Number NYC88DHD03
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS 1-23H-15
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-23H-
Aircraft Serial Number 57
Certified Max Gross Weight 750
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 5 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 1728
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTH JERSEY SOARING SOCIETY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 489 WEYMOUTH RD.
Aircraft Owner City VINELAND
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08360
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM A. MILLER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 18 BAYVIEW DR.
Operator City ABSECON
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08201
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 N81
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1531
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code N81
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 3
Runway Length 3004
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --