George M Bryan Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ms State Univ, Mississippi 39762
Sunday, July 23, 1989 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN AUTO TOW WAS BEING USED TO LAUNCH THE GLIDER. AS THE GLIDER REACHED AN ALT OF ABOUT 200 TO 250 FT, THE AUTO DRIVER REALIZED HE WAS EXCEEDING THE PLANNED SPEED, SO HE SLOWED THE AUTO BY 5 TO 10 MPH. AT THAT TIME, THE TOW LINE SLACKENED,THEN RELEASED AUTOMATICALLY. THE STUDENT PLT DECIDED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO AN UNCUT HAY FIELD. DRG THE LANDING, THE HAY CAUGHT THE RIGHT WING & THE GLIDER GROUND LOOPED, DAMAGING THE WING & FUSELAGE. THE RECOGNIZED SOARING PUBLICATIONS ADVISED THAT 180 DEG TURNS BACK TO THE RWY FOR DOWNWIND LNDGS WERE SAFE & PERMISSIBLE AT ALTITUDES OF 200 FT OR MORE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISON BY THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE TOW VEHICLE DRIVER TO USE/MAINTAIN THE PROPER SPEED, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND HIGH VEGETATION (UNCUT HAY).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MS STATE UNIV
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39762
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GEORGE M BRYAN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID STF
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 333
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID CBM
Elevation of weather observation facility 188
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1022
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 956
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39184
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9944J
NTSB Number MIA89LA206
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS 1-26C
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-26C
Aircraft Serial Number 92
Certified Max Gross Weight 600
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 3 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 700
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MISSISSIPPI ST. GLIDER CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX AP
Aircraft Owner City MISSISSIPPI ST
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39762
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STATE COLLEGE GLIDER CLUB, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. DRAWER AP
Operator City MISSISSIPPI ST.
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39762
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) Instructional
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
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 18
Runway Length 5050
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --