Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Waimea-Kohala Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kamuela, Hawaii 96743
Sunday, October 7, 2012 10:30 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that on the day of the accident the weather was marginal, with low clouds and shifting wind. He took off in the motorized glider and then stowed the engine. About 1 mile northwest of the airport, the pilot realized that the wind was not conducive to convective activity, and the glider started to descend. The pilot turned back toward the airport and extended the engine/propeller to restart the engine; however, the engine would not start. The pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and lowered the landing gear. As the pilot was turning from the downwind to the base leg of the traffic pattern, the left wing of the glider stalled; the glider subsequently impacted the ground and cart-wheeled before coming to a rest in a field. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he believed the accident occurred because "everything happened so fast,” and he was unable to use a checklist.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the glider after it encountered atmospheric conditions while maneuvering where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, which resulted in a stall and impact with terrain during the subsequent approach to land.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/7/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | Kamuela |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96743 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 200003N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1554003W |
| Event Location Airport | Waimea-Kohala Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PHMU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2671 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1000 Hawaii Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 233 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHKO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 47 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 26 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| 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) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR PHKO 071953Z 20007KT 10SM CLR 28/21 A2992 RM |
| 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) | 31774 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 21 2013 6:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N513WK |
| NTSB Number | WPR13LA007 |
| 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 | SCHLEICHER |
| Aircraft Model | ASH25M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25263 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1742 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 19 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WOODS WOODSON K |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | KAMUELA |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96743 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WOODS WOODSON K |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | KAMUELA |
| Operator State | HI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 96743 |
| 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 | PHMU |
| Departure City | Kamuela |
| Departure State | HI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | HST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PHMU |
| Destination City | Kamuela |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 21 2013 6:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 5197 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |