Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Parowan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Paragonah, Utah 84760
Monday, June 29, 2009 14:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was competing in a glider competition. He was going to depart using the glider’s engine; however, it would not start so the pilot was required to enter the departure line with the other gliders that were being towed. The initial takeoff was uneventful. The tow plane pilot reported that the glider released from the tow plane approximately 1,800 feet above ground level, which was 200 feet lower than the normal release altitude. A witness then reported that the nose of the glider pitched up and down until entering into a descent to ground impact. Data obtained from onboard recorders showed that the glider entered into a left spiral dive until impact with the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions that would have resulted in a loss of control. The pilot had a history of coronary artery disease with angioplasty and stent placement 3 months prior to the accident, and an intermittent abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) noted at that time. He would have been at low risk for clot formation in the stent or for stroke or other incapacitation related to his atrial fibrillation, but the condition of his remains did not permit the evaluation of any potential abnormalities in the heart or brain. The pilot did not have a current FAA medical certificate, and none was required for the operations in which he was engaged.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The glider departed controlled flight for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/29/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Paragonah |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84760 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 375353N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1124636W |
| Event Location Airport | Parowan |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 1L9 |
| 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 | 5930 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CDC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5622 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.83 |
| 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) | 26482 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Northwest FAA Com Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 9 2010 3:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N68MP |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA317 |
| 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 | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SCHEMPP-HIRTH |
| Aircraft Model | VENTUS 2CM |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 192 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1157 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 5 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 34 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael K Packard |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Littleton |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80127-2616 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Michael K Packard |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Littleton |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80127-2616 |
| 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 | 1L9 |
| Departure City | Parowan |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1420 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 1L9 |
| Destination City | Parowan |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 24 2009 12:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| 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 | -- |