Immokalee Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Immokalee, Florida 34142
Saturday, January 6, 2007 13:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after takeoff after being towed by an automobile, the "weak link" of the tow rope broke while the glider was at an altitude of 40 feet. The pilot-rated student pitched down and established landing attitude at about 5 feet. The glider made a hard landing, seriously injuring the CFI. The pilot-rated student was not injured. The failed "weak link" was discarded by the operator before the NTSB made contact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the glider towing "weak link," for undetermined reasons, at an inadequate altitude to effect a normal landing, resulting in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Immokalee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34142
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 262559N
Event Location Longitude 0812404W
Event Location Airport Immokalee Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IMM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 36
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1323 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 288
Weather Observation Facility ID KRSW
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KRSW 061853Z VRB04KT 10SM FEW041 29/18 A3005 RMK A
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21814
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Jan 16 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5728S
NTSB Number MIA07LA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model SGS 2-33
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number SGS-2-33-72
Certified Max Gross Weight 1071
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 1 2006 12:00AM
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 High Soaring, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 160 13th Street NW
Aircraft Owner City Naples
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34120
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KIMM
Departure City Immokalee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2007 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --