Clow Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plainfield, Illinois 60544
Saturday, March 7, 1987 15:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE GLIDER PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE TOW PLT RELEASED THE TOW ROPE AT APRX 15' AGL. RPRTDLY, HE RELEASED THE TOW ROPE DUE TO A PERCEIVED LACK OF TAKEOFF & CLIMB PERFORMANCE. AFTER BEING RELEASED, THE GLIDER PLT MADE A RIGHT TURN TO AVOID UNACCEPTABLE TERRAIN AHEAD. WHILE TURNING, THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT THE GROUND & THEN THE GLIDER CRASH LANDED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PLAINFIELD
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60544
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CLOW
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1C5
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 670
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID ARR
Elevation of weather observation facility 706
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 5
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 850
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2236
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35877
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N694KS
NTSB Number CHI87DEE06
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 SCHLEICHER
Aircraft Model ASK-21
Aircraft Series Identifier ASK-21
Aircraft Serial Number 21211
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 25 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 455
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ADVANCED SOARING CLUB INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1160 CATHERINE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City NAPERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60540
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WINDY SITY SOARING, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10302 NAPER-ROMEO RD.
Operator City PLAINFIELD
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60544
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 1520
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Maneuvering
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 36
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --