Findleyville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Finleyville, Pennsylvania 15323
Sunday, June 5, 1983 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE MOTORIZED GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER THE PROP HAD STRUCK THE GROUND DURING TAKEOFF. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PROPELLER 1ST COLLIDED WITH HIGH GRASS AND THEN A BUMP IN THE GROUND AFTER THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND VEERED OFF THE MOWED RUNWAY. THE TAKEOFF WAS CONTINUED AND AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNED DOWNWIND FOR A LANDING. THE PROPELLER VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY AS THE TURN WAS MADE AND THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND FEATHERED THE PROP AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL WHILE OVER THE HANGERS. WHILE LINING UP WITH THE RUNWAY THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES WHICH STALLED THE GLIDER AND IT NOSED INTO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FINLEYVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15323
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FINDLEYVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GO5
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
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 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 575
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20837
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 N903BG
NTSB Number NYC83LA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Burkhart Grob
Aircraft Model 109
Aircraft Series Identifier 109
Aircraft Serial Number 6095
Certified Max Gross Weight 700
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 74
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERRI POWERS PLUS TWO OTHERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 111 ROSCOMMON PLACE
Aircraft Owner City MCMURRAY
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15317
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --