Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Unionville, Pennsylvania 16844
Sunday, May 9, 2010 12:44 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the glider pilot, the flight was intended as a local recreational flight. He planned to climb via thermals to get across a five-mile gap between ridges, but was unable to gain altitude. He then attempted to turn to a "spur" that was separate from the main ridge to gain lift, but while performing the maneuvers the glider continued to lose altitude in a downdraft. The glider subsequently impacted trees and came to rest inverted, seriously injuring the pilot. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the glider. He stated that, in retrospect, he should have released the 10 gallons of water ballast in each wing and deployed positive flaps. A weather observation taken 35 miles from the accident site, approximately at the time of the accident, recorded the wind from 301 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's lack of remedial action in response to a loss of altitude, which led to a forced landing in unsuitable terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/9/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1244 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Unionville |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16844 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 405301N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0775416W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1240 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 175 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KUNV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1239 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27877 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Daily Sheets |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 17 2010 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6BF |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA260 |
| 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 | SCHLEICHER |
| Aircraft Model | ASW-20C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 20832 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1001 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 20 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1000 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DUTKA LESLIE A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PITTSBURGH |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 15241-2932 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | DUTKA LESLIE A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PITTSBURGH |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 15241-2932 |
| 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 | 79N |
| Departure City | Unionville |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 79N |
| Destination City | Unionville |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 17 2010 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |