Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Burnsville, North Carolina 28714
Tuesady, February 18, 2014 9:55 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the glider pilot, he did "crack" open the spoilers during tow a little due to the turbulent air that day. Immediately after releasing from the tow airplane, the glider went into a nose down attitude. He overheard the tow pilot say that his spoilers were deployed. He retracted the spoilers and then attempted to gain attitude but was out of lift. He saw a golf course to the north but then realized that he would not make the intended landing area, and chose an area that looked like it had small trees. According to the pilot towing the glider, they departed and flew about 15 minutes to the glide area. The glider was released and began a nose down attitude towards the ground. She stated that the glider's dive brakes were deployed. The tow pilot radioed the glider pilot, asking him if everything was "ok". The accident pilot responded back on the radio with what the she thought was an "affirmative", which later was determined to be a "negative". The tow pilot continued to watch the glider in a sharp dive until it impacted trees.
Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wing leading edges, and the empennage sustained substantial damage due to impact with trees. Control continuity from the flight controls to all surfaces was verified. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper use of the spoilers, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent impact with trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/18/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 955 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Burnsville |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28714 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 354607N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0821207W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1115 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FQD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1077 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.22 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KFQD 181615Z AUTO 03003KT 10SM CLR 12/M03 A3 |
| 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) | 33274 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 7 2014 3:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N411SD |
| NTSB Number | ERA14CA126 |
| 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 | SCHEMPP-HIRTH |
| Aircraft Model | VENTUS 2B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 102 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1157 |
| Aircraft Category | Glider |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | 0 |
| Passenger Seats | 0 |
| 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 | Dec 21 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1229 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CAMPBELL JAY D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | CAMDEN |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 290203069 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CAMPBELL JAY D |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | CAMDEN |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 290203069 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 9A9 |
| Departure City | Marion |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 9A9 |
| Destination City | Marion |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 7 2014 3:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |