Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Henderson, North Carolina 27587
Sunday, April 10, 2005 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that while out soaring on a recreational flight, the glider began to lose lift at approximately 2,500 feet. As the pilot attempted to regain thermal lift, the glider developed a high sink rate. As the glider continued to descend the pilot was unable to regain lift, and made plans to make a forced landing. During the forced landing in a grass field, he overshot the touchdown point and collided with a tree. No flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilot. Post examination of the glider revealed the outboard section of the left wing was broken off of the wing assembly. The weather at the nearest reporting facility Raleigh Durham, North Carolina reported at 14:53: 10-statue miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 22 Celsius, dewpoint 4 Celsius, barometric setting 30.05, winds 09 degrees at 7 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudgment of the landing area which resulted in overshooting the touchdown point. A factor was the in-flight encounter with weather (No thermal lift).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/10/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Henderson
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27587
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361305N
Event Location Longitude 0782355W
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 435
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 9
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) 1426
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17890
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 10 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Greensboro FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19HG
NTSB Number ATL05CA072
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 Schleicher
Aircraft Model ASW19b
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number ASW19B
Certified Max Gross Weight 805
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 6 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 647
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Kenneth L Butler
Aircraft Owner Street Address 328 Glencoe Dr.
Aircraft Owner City Wake Forest
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27587
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 --
Departure City Ball Field
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Henderson
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 20 2005 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --