Lange Flugzeugbau E1 ANTARES N4929R
18 October 2008 · Winter Haven, Florida, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 18 October 2008 at about 17:15 local time, a Lange Flugzeugbau E1 ANTARES registered N4929R, operated by Buchanan Roger N, was involved in an accident near Winter Haven, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Winter Haven, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Gilbert Field (GIF)
- Coordinates
- 28.0628, -81.7531
- Aircraft
- Lange Flugzeugbau E1 ANTARES
- Registration
- N4929R
- Category
- Glider
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Buchanan Roger N
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Winter Haven → Winter Haven
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA09CA024
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot of the other airplane to announce his intentions prior to takeoff, resulting in a runway incursion. Contributing to the accident was the limited forward visibility due to the runway slope.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was preparing his self-launching glider for a local flight at the uncontrolled airport. As he approached the hold short line for runway 11, he announced his position and intentions on the common traffic advisory frequency. He entered the runway and commenced the takeoff roll. At 40 knots, he observed another airplane taking off on runway 29 (opposite direction). He veered the glider to the right into the grass, and the landing gear struck a gopher hole. The right wing struck a runway sign and the glider came to rest. The glider pilot asked the other pilot if he heard his takeoff transmission, and the other pilot replied no, he did not have a radio in his airplane. A crown in the runway does not allow a full view of opposing traffic on runway 11/29. After the accident, the pilot reported that his glider club will post a marshaller with a radio with full view of the runway to provide an "all clear" before takeoff.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2008 | Cessna 182B | Wildwood, Florida, United States | Henry George Traill | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Dec 2008 | Bell OH-58C | Osceola County, Florida, United States | Helicopter Applicators, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 13 Dec 2008 | Kimball PITTS MODEL-12 | Weirdales, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 2008 | McKeehan James F ACRODUSTER II SA750 | Panama City, Florida, United States | Kevin G. Gorham | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 May 2008 | Beechcraft 65-A90 | Titusville, Florida, United States | Titusville Drop Zone | No injuries | - |
| 29 Aug 2008 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C | Sebring, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |