Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Texas Soaring Assoc Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Midlothian, Texas 76065
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 12:25 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses to the accident said the glider appeared to be flying normally when it suddenly pitched up and down, then flew into the ground. This was substantiated by flight data from an onboard recorder. The pilot was fatally injured and portions of the glider's wings and empennage were seperated from the fuselage. The pilot was an 11 time national soaring champion with approximately 50 years experience flying gliders and airplanes. The pilot had very recent symptoms, recent test results, and autopsy findings consistent with serious coronary artery disease. He also had abnormal rhythms on ECG monitoring that would have likely increased his risk of sudden death. The pilot was in the process of scheduling a cardiac catheterization and possible angioplasty. He may have been impaired or incapacitated by pain, an abnormal heart rhythm, or sudden cardiac death. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with an abrupt physical inability to continue controlling the aircraft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control due to an incapacitating cardiac event. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's poor decision to fly with known serious medical issues.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/23/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1225 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Midlothian |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76065 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322104N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0970012W |
| Event Location Airport | Texas Soaring Assoc Gliderport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TA11 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1245 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KJWY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24623 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Comm Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 23 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 6 2008 11:43AM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Dallas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N47JD |
| NTSB Number | DEN08LA127 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Schempp-Hirth |
| Aircraft Model | Ventus A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 29 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5009 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Richard Johnson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 14058 Brookcrest Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Dallas |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75240 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Richard Johnson |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 14058 Brookcrest Drive |
| Operator City | Dallas |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75240 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | TA11 |
| Departure City | TSA Gliderport |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Unknown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 23 2008 5:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |