Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pocahontas, Illinois 62275
Sunday, July 4, 2010 13:50 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The glider was towed to an altitude of 1,800 feet by an airplane and then released for a local flight. Radio communication with the glider was attempted about an hour later; however, it was not reestablished. Three airplanes went to look for the glider and located it about six hours after departure, in a field of high vegetation. The glider was equipped with a datalogger that indicated the glider was in a left turn about 250 feet north of the accident site prior to impact. The left wing's leading edge was torn and its tear contained vegetation. The landing gear was extended. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. While the pilot was taking medication for the treatment of diabetes, attention deficit disorder, and anxiety, the investigation could not determine what role, if any, the pilot’s medications or medical conditions may have played in the accident. The pilot did not have a current Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate, nor was one required for the glider operations in which he was engaged.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain a wings-level attitude prior to impacting high vegetation and terrain during the off-field landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/4/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1350 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pocahontas |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 62275 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384810N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0893341W |
| 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 | 2055 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BLV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 459 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KBLV 050155Z AUTO 15005KT 10SM FEW060 27/22 A2994 |
| 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) | 28152 |
| 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 | Mar 24 2011 12:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N82BK |
| NTSB Number | CEN10LA368 |
| 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-20 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 20580 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Oct 24 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1784 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | KNOX WILLIAM H |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LITCHFIELD |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 62056-0333 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | KNOX WILLIAM H |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | LITCHFIELD |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 62056-0333 |
| 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 | H07 |
| Departure City | Highland |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | H07 |
| Destination City | Highland |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 3 2011 5:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | male |
| 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 | -- |