Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ephrata Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ephrata, Washington 98823
Friday, July 24, 2009 6:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were onboard the glider readying it for an automobile tow launch. The CFI reported giving the 'take up slack' command to the wing walker, who was steadying the wings. Before the slack was taken up by the tow vehicle driver, the wing walker prematurely gave the launch signal. The tow driver then accelerated and the glider was suddenly launched into the air. The CFI attempted to control the glider by applying full forward elevator and simultaneously attempting to release the tow line. The glider struck the ground with the line still attached and was again launched into the air as the tow truck continued to accelerate. The tow line then released and the nose of the glider struck the ground. The glider sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage structure during the accident sequence.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The premature launch signal given by the wing walker.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/24/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 600 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ephrata |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98823 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 471817n |
| Event Location Longitude | 1193100w |
| Event Location Airport | Ephrata Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | EPH |
| 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 | 1276 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 553 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EPH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1276 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| 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) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25968 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Mountain ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 31 2009 6:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3907A |
| NTSB Number | WPR09CA368 |
| 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 | SCHWEIZER |
| Aircraft Model | SGU 2-22CK |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 66 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 918 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2190 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CIVIL AIR PATROL INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 105 SOUTH HANSELL ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | MAXWELL AFB |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 36112-6332 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CIVIL AIR PATROL INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 105 SOUTH HANSELL ST |
| Operator City | MAXWELL AFB |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 36112-6332 |
| 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 | EPH |
| Departure City | Ephrata |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | EPH |
| Destination City | Ephrata |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 31 2009 6:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 29 |
| Runway Length | 3843 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |