Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Garner Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Windsor, Virginia 23487
Friday, August 27, 2010 13:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot/co-owner of the experimental amateur-built glider, he assembled the glider prior to takeoff, which required that the left and right ruddervators be placed in the flight position and secured with a spring-loaded pin, inserted through three holes. The pilot stated that he visually checked that the pin was properly installed, and physically shook the ruddervators prior to takeoff. The glider was being towed for takeoff, and was approximately 6 to 10 feet above the ground, when the right ruddervator rotated toward the left ruddervator. The pilot was not able to control the glider, and disconnected from the tow plane. The glider subsequently impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the fiberglass fuselage. Postaccident examination of the glider by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any malfunctions of the ruddervator locking mechanism. The pin required about 25 pounds of force to move, and made a snapping noise when released. The inspector noted that the snapping noise was associated with the pin inserting through all three holes; however, further inspection revealed that the pin had only gone through two of the three holes.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate installation and preflight inspection of the right rudervator assembly, which resulted in a loss control during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/27/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1355 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Windsor |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23487 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 365122N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0764055W |
| Event Location Airport | Garner Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3VA8 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 80 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1600 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SFQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 72 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 80 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28024 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 19 2010 10:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coxp |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N29WB |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA477 |
| 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 | BEAM-WALTER |
| Aircraft Model | RS-15 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 36 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 940 |
| Aircraft Category | Glider |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 15 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 275 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Claudio L. Palmaz |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Williamsburg |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23188 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Claudio L. Palmaz |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Williamsburg |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 23188 |
| 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) | External Load |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 3VA8 |
| Departure City | Windsor |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1355 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 3VA8 |
| Destination City | Windsor |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 29 2010 3:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | schl |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 2600 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |