Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sunflower Aerodrome/Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Yoder, Kansas 67585
Sunday, March 28, 2004 15:20 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The experimental sailplane impacted an agricultural field after losing elevator control during initial climb on an aero-tow. Post accident examination of the elevator control system revealed the elevator Louis L'Hotellier ball and swivel joint had become disengaged, which resulted in the loss of elevator control. The Louis L'Hotellier fitting consists of a ball and swivel joint that connects the elevator control rod to the control surface. The purpose of the fitting is to allow the quick disassembly and reassembly of a sailplane. Several airworthiness directives (AD) have been issued for Louis L'Hotellier type fittings in order to "prevent the connectors from becoming inadvertently disconnected, which could result in loss of control of the sailplane or glider." The AD requires the lock plates to be secured either by a safety pin, wire, or other approved method. One specific AD further requires the installation of a placard that states, "All L'Hotellier control system connectors must be secured with safety wire, pins, or safety sleeves, as applicable, prior to operation." According to the pilot, he did not install a safety pin or wire on the elevator fitting prior to the accident flight. Additionally, he reported the sailplane was not equipped with the placard requiring a securing device to be used. The pilot was the owner of the sailplane. The pilot reported completing a "positive control check... although a second person was not available to help." The recognized method of performing a positive control check involves two individuals; one to hold the control surface stationary, while the other individual attempts to move the control stick.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to secure the elevator Louis L'Hotellier connector with a safety pin or wire as directed in several airworthiness directives and his inadequate preflight inspection of the sailplane, both of which resulted in the in-flight loss of elevator control due to the inadvertent disengagement of the elevator Louis L'Hotellier connector.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/28/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1520 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Yoder |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67585 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 375535N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0975422W |
| Event Location Airport | Sunflower Aerodrome/Gliderport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SN76 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | -- |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15448 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N232EM |
| NTSB Number | CHI04CA090 |
| 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 | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Schleicher |
| Aircraft Model | ASW-20 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 20061 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James Douglas Martin |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4351 South 135th Street West |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wichita |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 67227 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SN76 |
| Departure City | Yoder |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SN76 |
| Destination City | Yoder |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 2 2004 10:57AM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |