Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Strausburg, Virginia 22641
Sunday, March 10, 2002 10:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The glider was towed to altitude by a tow plane, and once released, the pilot flew towards the northeast portion of a mountain ridge to take advantage of "booming ridge lift." As the glider approached the ridge, it encountered insufficient thermal lift to maintain altitude, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. The pilot flew a traffic pattern approach, and during the downwind leg, the glider continued to lose altitude. As the pilot made a right turn onto the base leg of the traffic pattern, the glider's right wing struck a tree and the glider impacted the ground in a 70-degree nose down attitude. The pilot received an "outlook" weather briefing about 24 hours before his flight, which forecasted the winds to be from 290 degrees at 20 knots, with higher gusts. He did not receive an additional weather briefing; however, his visual observation of two wind socks at the airport indicated the winds were in agreement with the forecast. Examination of the glider revealed no mechanical deficiencies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather resulted in a loss of thermal lift, which resulted in an impact with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/10/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Strausburg
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22641
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385703N
Event Location Longitude 0781912W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1000 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID OKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 727
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 21
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) -833
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13389
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Mar 11 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Washington FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3878A
NTSB Number IAD02LA036
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 Schweizer
Aircraft Model SGS 1-26A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 38
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
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 John Lewis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Winchester
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22601
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 FRR
Departure City Front Royal
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FRR
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2003 11:02PM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --