Schleicher ASW-20 N20KG

Summary

On 6 August 1982 at about 20:30 local time, a Schleicher ASW-20 registered N20KG, operated by Thomas Knauff/Doris Grove, was involved in an accident near Unionville, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

6 August 1982 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Unionville, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Ridge Soaring Gliderport (79N)

Coordinates

39.8993, -75.7395

Aircraft

Schleicher ASW-20

Registration

N20KG

Category

Glider

Operator

Thomas Knauff/Doris Grove

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unionville → Unionville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC82DA187

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE BEING TOWED DURING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT MOVED THE FLAPS FROM THE NEUTRAL #3 TO THE POSITIVE #4 SETTING AND THE NOSE OF THE GLIDER PITCHED UP. THE PILOT REALIZED THERE WAS NO ELEVATOR CONTROL, THE FLAPS WERE MOVED TO THE #1 (NEGATIVE) SETTING AND THE TWO CABLE WAS RELEASED WHILE THE GLIDER WAS STILL BELOW 100 FT AGL. IT CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND UNDERBRUSH. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ELEVATOR PUSH ROD WAS DISCONNECTED FROMTHE ELEVATOR. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT CHECK, THE PUSH ROD PUSHED THE ELEVATOR UP AND DOWN WHEN THESTICK WAS MOVED FORWARD AND AFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.