Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bergseth Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Enumclaw, Washington 98022
Sunday, August 19, 2001 12:35 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The glider pilot reported that the towline prematurely released from the tow plane (Piper PA-18). He reported that this occurred shortly after takeoff from runway 28, about 200 feet above ground level (AGL). After the unscheduled disconnect, the glider pilot initiated a turn to the right in an effort to reach the departure runway. He reported that during the turn, the glider "pitched down" and did not respond to control inputs. Shortly thereafter, the glider impacted trees and terrain. This was the second failed attempt to launch the glider; the first attempt resulted in an unscheduled release immediately following the initiation of the tow. Following the first unscheduled release, the "Field Manager" reconnected to towline to the PA-18, and the second tow was initiated. In both cases, the towline prematurely released from the release hook on the tow aircraft, but remained attached to the latching mechanism on the glider. The handle for the tow-hitch is located on the floorboard of the tow plane's forward cockpit. To open the hitch, the handle is moved from the forward position to the aft position. According to the tow plane pilot, the handle had not been actuated and was in the forward position when the unscheduled releases occurred. Postaccident examination and testing of the tow-hitch revealed no discrepancies or anomalies that would explain the unscheduled release. In a written statement, the glider pilot indicated that he had not been briefed on potential emergency landing sites near the departure field. Additionally, he stated that had he been briefed, he would have "...made the decision to fly to such a site given my altitude at release." The elevation at Bergseth Field is approximately 1,100 feet mean sea level (MSL). Runway 10/28 is a 2,100 by 60 foot turf runway, with rising terrain to the east and sloping terrain to the west The terrain to the west slopes down to an elevation of approximately 500 feet MSL.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The premature release of the towline and the pilot's improper selection of a landing area following the release. Factors include improper preflight planning.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/19/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1235 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Enumclaw |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98022 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Bergseth Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | WN76 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 1100 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1156 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 19 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SEA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 429 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 287 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 302 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1347 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 11772 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 19 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2002 12:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Seattle, Washington |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N82AS |
| NTSB Number | SEA01LA153 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LET |
| Aircraft Model | Blanik L-13 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 026651 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 2 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2643 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Puget Sound Soaring |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 10014 SE 204th |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kent |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98031 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | WN76 |
| Departure City | Enumclaw |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | WN76 |
| Destination City | Enumclaw |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2002 5:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 2100 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |