Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ferndale Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bigfork, Montana 59911
Friday, July 8, 2011 17:21 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot examiner reported that the purpose of the flight was to renew the pilot’s flight instructor certificate; the accident flight was the second flight of the day. Prior to the accident flight, the examiner briefed the tow plane pilot and the pilot receiving the glider check ride that the next flight would be a simulated rope break during takeoff at an altitude of about 260 feet above the ground. The examiner reported that during takeoff, he released the tow rope at 260 feet and noticed that the glider’s airspeed was slowing. He informed the pilot to increase the airspeed and bank the glider until it was lined up with runway. The examiner stated that before the glider was aligned with the runway, the pilot made a quick control stick movement to the right, which caused an accelerated stall. Multiple witnesses observed the glider depart the airport uneventfully via a tow airplane. As the glider ascended through about 200 to 300 feet, it appeared to release from the tow rope. Shortly after, the glider was observed entering a steep right bank and descended into the ground. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his excessive control inputs during a simulated rope break while taking off, which resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/8/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1721 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bigfork |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59911 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 480337N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1140004W |
| Event Location Airport | Ferndale Airfield |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 53U |
| 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 | 3072 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1655 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 326 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GPI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2977 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7500 |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 30 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.89 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30838 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NWM Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 14 2012 12:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N591CC |
| NTSB Number | WPR11LA317 |
| 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 | SCHWEIZER |
| Aircraft Model | SGS 2-32 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1530 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 19 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6450 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WAVE SOARING ADVENTURES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lake Tapps |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98391 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WAVE SOARING ADVENTURES INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lake Tapps |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 98391 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 53U |
| Departure City | Bigfork |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1721 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 53U |
| Destination City | Bigfork |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 14 2012 12:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 3500 |
| Runway Width | 95 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |