Cessna 182C N8681T

Summary

On 2 June 2004 at about 14:17 local time, a Cessna 182C registered N8681T, operated by Kutztown Airport, was involved in an accident near Kutztown, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 June 2004 at 14:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Kutztown, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Kutztown Airport (N31)

Coordinates

40.4994, -75.7828

Aircraft

Cessna 182C

Registration

N8681T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Kutztown Airport

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kutztown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC04FA137

1 person died.

The towplane pilot's failure to maintain a climb while towing a glider for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the early release of the glider and the tow plane's subsequent impact with trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student glider pilot was being towed by the accident tow plane for a local flight. Shortly after takeoff, the student glider pilot noticed that the tow rope had "some slack" in it, and that the tow plane did not appear to be climbing "at the rate he should have been." The student glider pilot made slight control adjustments to tighten the tow rope; however, the tow rope "went slack" again at 200-300 feet above the ground, and the airplane began to descend below the glider. The glider pilot then decided to release from the tow plane, and he turned back to the airport. During the turn, he observed the airplane drop its left wing slightly, and then begin a turn to the right. The airplane then impacted a quarry, and a post-crash fire ensued. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no pre-flight mechanical deficiencies. During a previous training flight with the student glider pilot and accident tow pilot, the airplane began to descend during a climb, when the tow pilot failed to realize that the throttle had vibrated back to a lower power setting when he took his hand off it. According to the operator of the airplane, the tow pilot had performed approximately 70 tows during the past year; however, he had been "signed off" to fly without an instructor less than a month prior to the accident. The student glider pilot had accumulated approximately 50 hours of total flight experience. The FAA Glider Flying Handbook, states in part that "One of the most dangerous occurrences during the aerotow is allowing the glider to rise high above and losing sight of the towplane. The tension on the towrope by the glider pulls the towplane tail up, lowering its nose. If the glider continues to rise pulling the towplane tail higher, the towpilot may not be able to raise the nose. Ultimately, the towpilot may run out of up elevator authority. This situation can be critical if it occurs at altitudes below 500 feet AGL. Upon losing sight of the towplane, the glider pilot must release immediately."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.