Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bahson Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mocksville, North Carolina 27028
Monday, May 28, 2012 14:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, the glider's heading differed about 5 degrees from that of the towplane when the towplane began its takeoff roll. The pilot used rudder to correct the heading, but the glider dragged a wing and yawed 70 degrees to its right. The glider lifted 3 to 5 feet above the runway, the pilot released the tow, the glider touched down in a sideslip, and the resultant side load on the tail landing gear "buckled the tailboom 90 [degrees]." The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the glider that would have prevented normal operation, and that the accident might have been prevented by ensuring alignment of the glider with the towplane prior to the takeoff roll.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The glider pilot's failure to attain and maintain directional control during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/28/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mocksville |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 27028 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 360109N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803035W |
| Event Location Airport | Bahson Gliderport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 43NC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 810 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1754 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KINT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 969 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | UTC |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30466 |
| 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 | Aug 30 2012 2:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N817V |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA378 |
| 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 | PDPS PZL-BIELSKO |
| Aircraft Model | SZD-55-1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 551192035 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1102 |
| 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 | Feb 28 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1143 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HILLS ROBERT and Clay Sholar |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WINSTON SALEM |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27104 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | HILLS ROBERT/SHOLAR CLAY |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WINSTON SALEM |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 27104 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 43NC |
| Departure City | Mocksville |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 43NC |
| Destination City | Mocksville |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 30 2012 2:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 01L |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 260 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |