Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ghsa-Wallis Glideport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wallis, Texas 77485
Friday, June 6, 2014 14:06 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The glider pilot reported that he was to be towed by a tow plane and make a "no assist launch." The glider's wings were loosely supported by wing stands and the tow rope was attached from the tow plane to the glider. When the slack was out of the tow rope, the glider pilot made a radio call "Go, go, go" to the tow pilot. The glider began to lift off from the grass runway when pilot noticed that the tow plane moved left laterally from what he assumed was a gust of wind. The tow pilot corrected back to the right and the glider pilot readied to do the same. When the glider entered the area of suspected wind gust, it suddenly ascended about 8 feet and the left wing lifted. The pilot applied full left aileron and left rudder and forward pressure on the control stick in order to descend and regain the correct flight path. The left wing continued to lift so the glider pilot released the tow rope as the glider made a 30 degree right turn. The glider exited the area of suspected wind gust and the glider pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the glider impacted the runway. The glider sustained substantial damage to the rear fuselage and empennage. He also reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the glider during takeoff in gusty wind conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/6/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1406 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wallis |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77485 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 293648N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0960140W |
| Event Location Airport | GHSA-WALLIS GLIDEPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TE71 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 3 |
| Airport Elevation | 127 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 88 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSGR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 82 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 18 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSGR 061853Z 17011G18KT 10SM BKN041 BKN050 3 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 33105 |
| 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 | Jun 17 2014 2:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | linj-i |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N245AB |
| NTSB Number | CEN14CA280 |
| 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 | NIMBUS 3/24.5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 65 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1653 |
| Aircraft Category | Glider |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 1 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 5 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1815 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | COGGINS DAVID L |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PASADENA |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 775054186 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | COGGINS DAVID L |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PASADENA |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 775054186 |
| 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 | TE71 |
| Departure City | Wallis |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1406 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | TE71 |
| Destination City | Wallis |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 17 2014 12:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | linj-i |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 125 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |