Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Geauga County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Middlefield, Ohio 44062
Sunday, November 1, 2009 16:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The glider pilot, who was a certificated flight instructor (CFI), reported that he was following the student pilot on the controls during the takeoff climb. He observed the tow plane rock its wings indicating to the glider to “wave off”. The CFI took control of the glider and stated, “It’s my airplane.” He released the tow line, turned 180 degrees to return to the airport, and lowered the nose to increase aircraft energy. The student felt they were too low to the ground and panicked. The student pilot grabbed the controls and pulled back on the stick. The CFI could not overpower the student on the controls and the airplane started to spin left. He picked up the left wing by applying opposite rudder. The glider impacted a tractor dealer’s parking lot. The inspection of the glider revealed that it sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. No pre-impact anomalies were noted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's improper control inputs which resulted in the inadvertent stall of the glider.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/1/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1610 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Middlefield |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 44062 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412658N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0810346W |
| Event Location Airport | Geauga County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7G8 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1174 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1551 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 135 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | YNG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1192 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26825 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 15 2010 2:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1142 |
| NTSB Number | CEN10LA035 |
| 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 | Blanik |
| Aircraft Model | L-13 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 026315 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 27 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2752 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CLEVELAND SOARING SOCIETY INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 814 S PROSPECT AVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | HARTVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44632 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CLEVELAND SOARING SOCIETY INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 814 S PROSPECT AVE |
| Operator City | HARTVILLE |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 44632 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 7G8 |
| Departure City | Middlefield |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1610 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 7G8 |
| Destination City | Middlefield |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 14 2010 11:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 29 |
| Runway Length | 3499 |
| Runway Width | 65 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |