Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Batesville, Texas 78829
Wednesday, August 4, 2010 18:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While participating in a soaring competition, a Schempp-Hirth glider and an Alexander Schleicher glider collided while in flight. The Schempp-Hirth glider was outbound from the last way point for the competition course and the Alexander Schleicher glider was inbound to this same point. The courses inbound and outbound from this way point are near reciprocals of one another. According to the pilot of the Alexander Schleicher glider and the damage to both gliders, the empennage and tailwheel of the Schempp-Hirth glider impacted the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator of the Alexander Schleicher glider. The speed, altitude, and course of each glider would not have allowed enough time for either pilot to see the other glider and react with enough time to avoid a collision. An examination of the airframe and related systems of both gliders revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Both glider pilots’ inability to see and avoid the other resulting in a mid-air collision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Batesville
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78829
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 290237N
Event Location Longitude 0994019W
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 1751 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID KHDO
Elevation of weather observation facility 930
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 70000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28552
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2011 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N7470C N8829A
NTSB Number CEN10LA459A CEN10LA459B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? No No
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHEMPP-HIRTH ALEXANDER SCHLEICHER GMBH & CO
Aircraft Model VENTUS-2B ASW 27-18
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 150 29034
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Glider Glider
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1 1
Number of Engines 0 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 4 2009 12:00AM Mar 12 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours 623 208
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name OCALLAGHAN CHRISTOPHER C WAGNER TED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 101 CHESTNUT HILL WAY 660 E FAIRWAY DR
Aircraft Owner City FREDERICK LITCHFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MD AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21702-4048 85340
Operator is an individual? Yes Yes
Operator Name OCALLAGHAN CHRISTOPHER C Ralph Berg
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Street Address 101 CHESTNUT HILL WAY --
Operator City FREDERICK Phoenix
Operator State MD AZ
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code 21702-4048 85032
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No 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) Air Race/Show Air Race/Show
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code KUVA KUVA
Departure City Uvalde Uvalde
Departure State TX TX
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- 1255
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KUVA KUVA
Destination City Uvalde Uvalde
Destination State TX TX
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 13 2011 3:45PM Jun 8 2011 5:05PM
User who most recently changed record chuk kaij
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A --
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --