Tullahoma Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388
Saturday, September 20, 1986 14:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AUTOMOBILE TOW/LAUNCH, THE AUTO EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER BEFORE THE GLIDER REACHED A SAFE RELEASE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT HAD STEERED THE GLIDER OFF OF THE PAVED RWY AND WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE RWY. THE GLIDER PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN HIGH FOLIAGE WHERE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE EMPENNAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HAD HE REMAINED OVER THE RWY, THE POSSIBILITY OF LANDING IN THE FOLIAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TULLAHOMA
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37388
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TULLAHOMA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID THA
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 1081
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1435
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 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1916
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32392
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 N6877
NTSB Number ATL86LA262
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 ALEXANDER
Aircraft Model AS-K13
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-K13
Aircraft Serial Number 13149
Certified Max Gross Weight 1060
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 485
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City TULLAHOMA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37388
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 THA
Departure City TULLAHOMA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --