Schempp-Hirth DISCUS BT N224WT
5 April 1992 · Julian, Pennsylvania, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 5 April 1992 at about 20:45 local time, a Schempp-Hirth DISCUS BT registered N224WT, operated by Pioti Turosienski, was involved in an accident near Julian, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Julian, Pennsylvania, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.9101, -77.9291
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth DISCUS BT
- Registration
- N224WT
- Category
- Glider
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Pioti Turosienski
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unionville → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC92DGT01
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT USE OF THE SPEED BRAKES, WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WITNESSES NOTICED THE SPEED BRAKES WERE DEPLOYED, WHILE THE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB. ATTEMPTS TO RADIO THE PILOT AND ALERT HIM OF THE SPEED BRAKE POSITION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED AT 2900 FEET, AND IT DESCENDED WITH THE SPEED BRAKES STILL DEPLOYED. THE PILOT TRIED TO RETURN AND LAND, BUT DID NOT REACH THE GLIDERPORT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER STRUCK A TREE AND WAS DAMAGED AS THE PILOT WAS MAKING AN OFF GLIDERPORT LANDING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schempp-Hirth DISCUS accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1991 | Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-B | Medina, Texas, United States | Atsushi Kodama | Fatal | 1 |
| 22 Oct 1988 | Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-B | Whitwell, Tennessee, United States | Steven L. Bair | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jul 1988 | Schempp-Hirth DISCUS B | Minden, Nevada, United States | Graham S. Thompson | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1998 | Schempp-Hirth DISCUS A | Bridgeport, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Nov 1999 | Schempp-Hirth DISCUS A | Palmerton, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Jan 2001 | Schempp-Hirth DISCUS CS | Wurtsboro, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 1992 | Gerald Barker QUICKY 2 | Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States | Gerald L. Barker | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 1992 | Bellanca 7ECA | West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States | O.t. Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 1992 | Piper PA-34-200T | Coatesville, Pennsylvania, United States | Richard Devaney | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1992 | Cessna 195 | Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, United States | Herbert A. Schaffner | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 1992 | Boeing 737-300 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | Usair | No injuries | - |
| 1 Oct 1992 | Cessna 150G | Lincoln, Pennsylvania, United States | Rodney V. Bowers | Minor injuries | - |