Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Richmond Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gregory, Michigan 48137
Sunday, July 29, 2012 13:43 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that the takeoff and tow to 3,000 feet above ground level (agl) was normal. The pilot released the glider from the tow airplane about 2 miles northwest of the airport. He was unable to achieve the necessary lift, and, as the glider lost altitude, he started flying back toward the airport and proceeded toward the initial point for landing on the runway. As the pilot flew the glider on the downwind pattern leg, he realized that he was not going to be able to complete the traffic pattern. He attempted to clear the tree line that crossed the downwind leg, but the glider hit the trees and subsequently impacted terrain. A witness reported that the glider’s altitude was about 125 to 150 feet agl when it was on the downwind leg and that its airspeed was too low. The witness added that the glider continued to slow as it turned to the base leg, at which point, the left wing stalled, and then the glider pitched down nearly vertical and completed about 1/2 spin before it disappeared behind the trees. 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 glider pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed while turning to the base leg of the traffic pattern, which resulted in a stall/spin and impact with trees and terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/29/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1343 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gregory |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48137 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 422631N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0840352W |
| Event Location Airport | Richmond Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 69G |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 921 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LAN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 861 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 26 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KLAN 291753Z VRB04KT 10SM SCT065 BKN200 28/10 A300 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32821 |
| 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 | Jun 19 2014 5:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1ZV |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA490 |
| 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 | SMITH |
| Aircraft Model | APPLEBAY ZUNI II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 30 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1200 |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 184 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WASILEWSKI STEPHEN G |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | ANN ARBOR |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48104-6622 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WASILEWSKI STEPHEN G |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | On File |
| Operator City | ANN ARBOR |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48104-6622 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 69G |
| Departure City | Gregory |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1329 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 69G |
| Destination City | Gregory |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 19 2014 10:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 2471 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |