Lake Village Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Village, Indiana 46349
Sunday, April 4, 2004 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The glider operated by a certified flight instructor (CFI), sustained substantial damage during approach. The CFI stated that while approaching for a downwind landing, he observed that the aircraft was too low for a normal approach and landing. The CFI reported that he cut the corner and flew over a small clump of trees and on the downwind side of the trees encountered a significant sink and landed in a soft field. Upon landing the glider bounced hard and the right wingtip dug into the ground. The student pilot reported a similar sequence of events. The CFI reported no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the glider.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The unsuitable terrain the Certified Flight Instructor encountered during the off-field landing. The low altitude, the downdraft or "sink" experienced during flight, and the soft terrain conditions were factors to the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Lake Village
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46349
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410417N
Event Location Longitude 0875047W
Event Location Airport LAKE VILLAGE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C98
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 45
Airport Elevation 644
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IKK
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 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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Greater Kankakee Airport Kankakee, Illinois, USA
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15450
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2229
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 South Bend, IN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17882
NTSB Number CHI04CA102
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 Schweizer
Aircraft Model SGS 2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 252
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 22 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 1243
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Civil Air Patrol
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 South Hansell Street
Aircraft Owner City MAXWELL AFB
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36112
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code C98
Departure City Lake Village
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code C98
Destination City LAKE VILLAGE
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 14 2004 5:49PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --