Sky Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Huntsville, Alabama 35800
Saturday, August 24, 1985 16:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PLT WAS IN TRAINING FOR A GLIDER RATING & WAS ON A SUPERVISED SOLO FLT TO PRACTICE A LANDING. DURING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, HE ROLLED OUT HI ON FINAL & EXTENDED THE SPOILERS TO ADJUST TO THE DESIRED GLIDE PATH, THEN RETRACTED THE SPOILERS TO THE 50% POSITION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE REALIZED HE WAS LOW & RETRACTED THE SPOILERS. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH A HEDGE ROW ABOUT 50 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT FELT THAT HIS EXPERIENCE FLYING POWERED ACFT MAY HAVE INTERFERED WITH HIS TRAINING IN GLIDERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1605
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HUNTSVILLE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35800
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3M5
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 650
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1150
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28495
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99954
NTSB Number ATL85LKG11
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 LET
Aircraft Model L-13
Aircraft Series Identifier L-13
Aircraft Serial Number 025905
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 11 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SALE REPORTED
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HUNSTVILLE SOARING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City HUNTSVILLE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code 06
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 1100
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --