Peach State Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Williamson, Georgia 30292
Saturday, January 31, 1987 12:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE GLIDER PLT WAS APCHG THE ENTRY POINT FOR LANDING, HE CHECKED THE SPOILERS FOR OPERATION. THE SPOILERS EXTENDED, BUT WOULD NOT RETRACT. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE SINK RATE & THE PLT REALIZED HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO REACH THE ARPT. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LANDED THE GLIDER (SAILPLANE) APRX 1/4 MI NORTH OF THE ARPT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ABELLCRANK (PN 103B-4433) IN THE SPOILER CONTROL SYSTEM HAD FAILED AT TWO LOCATIONS ON THE CENTER BEARING HOUSING. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THE BELLCRANK HAD FAILED FROM HIGH CYCLE, LOW STRESS FATIGUE. THE FAILURES OCCURRED AT THE EDGE OF FILLET-WELDS IN RELATIVELY SOFT, HEAT AFFECTED ZONES (HAZ). THE BELLCRANK HAD NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO POST WELD HEAT TREATMENT. TESTS VERIFIED A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF HARDNESS IN THE HAZ. THE GLIDER HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 318 HRS WHEN THE BELLCRANK FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/31/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WILLIAMSON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30292
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PEACH STATE GLIDERPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3GA7
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 926
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1001
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 5013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33425
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N429BG
NTSB Number ATL87IA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BURKHART GROB
Aircraft Model G103 TWIN ASTIR
Aircraft Series Identifier G103 TWIN
Aircraft Serial Number 3737
Certified Max Gross Weight 1435
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 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1341
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ASTRO TEC AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2102 AFTON BRAE DR., S.E.
Aircraft Owner City HUNTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35803
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ATLANTA SOARING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PEACH STATE GLIDERPORT
Operator City WILLIAMSON
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30292
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 0
Departure Time Zone
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 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 31
Runway Length 3300
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --