Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Crooked Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bunn, North Carolina 27508
Sunday, April 13, 2014 15:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On April 13, 2014, about 1540 eastern daylight time (EDT), an Aircraft Industries A.S. (formerly LET Aeronautical Works) L33 SOLO glider, N318BA, collided with terrain approximately 400 feet north-northeast of Crooked Creek Airport (7NC5), Bunn, North Carolina. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the glider was substantially damaged. The glider was registered to and operated by North Carolina Soaring Association, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from 7NC5 about 1510 EDT.
The pilot was towed aloft from runway 22 and released at approximately 2,000 feet mean sea level at a point approximately just over 1 mile northwest of 7NC5. The tow plane returned to 7NC5 and landed, then shortly thereafter, the tow plane pilot stated that the accident pilot reported that he was returning to 7NC5. The tow plane pilot asked him if he wanted another tow aloft since the flight was a short duration and he replied affirmative.
Witnesses who were on 7NC5 reported hearing the pilot announce that he was entering the traffic pattern for a right downwind for runway 22. The witnesses looked towards that direction and noted the glider was abeam the approach end of runway 22 but noted the glider appeared to be low. The glider turned onto base leg where trees obscured one witnesses view; however, another witness reported seeing the glider through the trees and observed the glider in a nose-low angle greater than 50 degrees, then observed what appeared to be the wings rotate as if in a ground loop but at a higher angle. The witnesses heard an impact and ran to the accident site. On arrival they noted the pilot was being attended to by homeowners that lived near the airport. Fire rescue responded and the pilot was transported by ambulance to a nearby fire station, and then was airlifted to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1540 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bunn |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 27508 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 355605N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0781432W |
| Event Location Airport | Crooked Creek Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7NC5 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 34 |
| Airport Elevation | 250 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1535 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 322 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LHZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 368 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2014 2:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N318BA |
| NTSB Number | ERA14LA199 |
| 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 | AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES A.S. |
| Aircraft Model | L33 SOLO |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 970418 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NORTH CAROLINA SOARING ASSOCIATION |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1764 |
| Aircraft Owner City | APEX |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 275022764 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | NORTH CAROLINA SOARING ASSOCIATION |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 1764 |
| Operator City | APEX |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 275022764 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 7NC5 |
| Departure City | Bunn |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1510 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 7NC5 |
| Destination City | Bunn |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2014 2:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 2500 |
| Runway Width | 80 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |