As+ AC-4B N3021

Summary

On 14 September 1997 at about 23:45 local time, a As+ AC-4B registered N3021 was involved in an accident near Sundance, Wyoming, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 September 1997 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Sundance, Wyoming, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip

Coordinates

44.4007, -104.3700

Aircraft

As+ AC-4B

Registration

N3021

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA349

Nobody was injured.

improper planning/decision by the pilot, which led to a snag and sudden slack in the tow rope, and necessitated an aborted launch (emergency landing) after initial liftoff. This in turn led to an inadvertent stall, a wing drop, and the left wing tip dragging the ground. A factor relating to the accident was: the restricted movement of the tow rope after it became snagged on the crop stubble.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A glider launch was being conducted, using a vehicle tow and a mechanical advantage/pulley arrangement. During the launch, the tow rope became snagged on vegetation (alfalfa crop stuble), then slack developed in the tow rope as the rope came loose from the stuble. When slack was taken up, it 'jerked' the glider, which pitched up. The pilot released the tow rope, but the glider settled (stall) and rolled approximately 25 degrees left wing down. The wing contacted the ground, and the glider spun around and came to rest facing backwards. This resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.