Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lansing, Michigan
Tuesady, May 24, 1983 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL 15 METER CHAMPIONSHIP MEET. DURING A TRIANGULAR COURSE, HE RAN OUT OF THERMAL ACTIVITY & SELECTED A FIELD FOR A LANDING. FROM THE AIR, HE THOUGHT HE HAD SELECTED AN ALFALFA FIELD WITH A 5 TO 6 INCH GROWTH. HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THE FIELD ACTUALLY HAD GRASS APRX 24 TO 30 INCHES TALL. DURING THE LANDING, ONE WING CAUGHT THE GRASS, THE GLIDER SWERVED, THEN THE TAIL CONE FAILED FROM OVERLOAD FORCES FROM THE SIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LANSING
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
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 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 225
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 4000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1629
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21963
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 N20ZZ
NTSB Number CHI83LA226
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 ASW-20
Aircraft Series Identifier ASW-20
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
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 1
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 17 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 200
Airframe Hours 200
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN WASTVEDT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9166 NEILL LAKE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City EDEN PRAIRE
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55344
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 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 No
Departure Airport Code Y70
Departure City IONIA
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Y70
Destination City IONIA
Destination State MI
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 11
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --