Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Julian, Pennsylvania 19375
Monday, April 28, 1986 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT OF N686U REPORTED HE WAS ESTABLISHED IN A WEAK THERMAL AT AN ALT OF APRX 2500 AGL WHEN TWO OTHER GLIDERS WERE SEEN. ONE AT APRX THE SAME ALT AND ONE BELOW HIS ALT. HE CONTINUED TO STATE THAT THE GLIDER WHICH WAS AT HIS ALT PASSED VERY CLOSE TO BUT UNDERNEATH HIS GLIDER. HE STATED HE MOMENTARILY LOST SIGHT OF THE GLIDER BEFORE SEEING IT TURN AND AND CONTINUE IN THE THERMAL, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF HIS GLIDERS ATTITUDE HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER GLIDER. N686U WAS THEN STRUCK FROM THE RIGHT REAR BY N40MS. BOTH PLTS THEN LOST CONTROL OF THEIR GLIDERS WHICH DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/28/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JULIAN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19375
Event Date Year 1986
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 553
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 28 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30893
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 #2

Aircraft Registration Number N40MS N686U
NTSB Number NYC86FA114A NYC86FA114B
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 Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Glaser-Dirks SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model DIRK-DG-400 SGS-1-26B
Aircraft Series Identifier DIRK-DG-40 SGS-1-26B
Aircraft Serial Number 4-50 305
Certified Max Gross Weight 1014 1021
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 1 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Annual
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name MALCOLM STEVENSON PAT L. DE NAPLES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 237 SPARROW HAWK RD 5385 ELBON RD.
Aircraft Owner City JOHNS ISLAND WAYNESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State SC OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45068
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 Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City JULIAN JULIAN
Departure State PA PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315 1315
Departure Time Zone EST EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Descent
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 -- --