Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lenawee County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Adrian, Michigan 49221
Sunday, April 26, 2009 15:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Before the accident flight, the glider flight instructor observed adverse weather approaching the airport from the south. He wanted to demonstrate a crosswind landing to his student before ceasing glider operations due to the adverse weather. The glider released from the tow airplane around 1,000 feet above ground level and then proceeded on downwind for runway 29. While on final approach, the flight instructor had difficulty maintaining proper runway alignment due to a strong, gusting crosswind. As a result, he elected to land the glider in a grassy area immediately north of the runway. He noted that his forward visibility was limited by heavy rain. The glider impacted a taxiway sign during the landing, substantially damaging the left wing. Weather radar and surface observations indicated that the airport was affected by a thunderstorm shortly after the glider departed on the local area flight. The thunderstorm produced heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds. During the accident flight, the airport's automated surface observing system recorded a peak wind from 220 degrees magnetic at 42 knots. The glider's maximum demonstrated crosswind component for safe approach, landing and aerotow launching was 16 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor's inadequate compensation for the strong, gusting crosswind during landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's decision to attempt flight with known adverse weather approaching the airport.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/26/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1510 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Adrian |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49221 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415204N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0840438W |
| Event Location Airport | Lenawee County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KADG |
| 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 | 798 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| 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 | KADG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 798 |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 23 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25454 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 8 2009 10:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N238SB |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA269 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LET |
| Aircraft Model | L-23 Super Blanik |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 928008 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1124 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 8 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1564 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Adrian Soaring Club, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3010 21st Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wyandotte |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48192-5302 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Adrian Soaring Club, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3010 21st Street |
| Operator City | Wyandotte |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48192-5302 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KADG |
| Departure City | Adrian |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1505 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KADG |
| Destination City | Adrian |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 7 2009 5:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 29 |
| Runway Length | 1810 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |