Schleicher ASW-27 N127AL
28 November 2009 · Middletown, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 November 2009 at about 19:01 local time, a Schleicher ASW-27 registered N127AL was involved in an accident near Middletown, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. 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 19:01
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Middletown, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Crazy Creek Gliderport (PVT)
- Coordinates
- 38.7597, -122.5572
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-27
- Registration
- N127AL
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Middletown → Middletown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR10FA068
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot flying a non-standard approach to the private airstrip.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane departed the airport with the glider in tow. Gusting crosswind conditions existed at the time of the takeoff and witnesses reported that the glider appeared to be encountering turbulence during the climb out. The glider released from the tow plane a short time later, maneuvered in the vicinity of the release, and then simultaneously returned to the airport at the same time as the airplane. Both aircraft entered downwind legs on each side of the same runway, with the glider on the right downwind and the airplane on the left downwind. They continued on downwind, and turned onto their respective base legs about the same time. As both aircraft turned onto final, they collided. Paint transfer marks, Global Positioning System (GPS) flight track data, and a photograph taken just after the collision indicated that the airplane's right wing and right main landing gear struck the empennage of the glider just aft of the cabin. The glider's flight track back to the airport, and the use of the right-hand traffic pattern likely indicated that the pilot encountered unfavorable weather conditions that necessitated use of the non-standard pattern. Additionally, GPS flight track data indicated that the glider overshot the runway centerline during the turn from base to final, indicative of him encountering a crosswind. The airplane was not equipped with a radio transceiver, and the left-hand traffic pattern was considered standard for the private airstrip. The seating positions of both pilots, and the relative distance between the aircraft would have given both pilots an unobstructed view of the opposing aircraft during the downwind and base legs of the arrival. 14 CFR 91.113(d)(2) and (3)(e) specifies general right of way rules and rules for traffic pattern operations. In part, a glider has the right-of-way over an airship, powered parachute, weight-shift-control aircraft, airplane, or rotorcraft. For traffic pattern operations when aircraft are approaching each other head-on, or nearly so, each pilot of each aircraft shall alter course to the right.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schleicher ASW-27 | N127AL | - | Substantial |
| Piper PA-25-235 | N7023Z | Calsoar Inc. | Substantial |
Other Schleicher ASW-27 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 2011 | Schleicher ASW-27 | Preston, Idaho, United States | Blackburn L Anderson | No injuries | - |
| 7 May 2011 | Schleicher ASW-27 | Athens, Tennessee, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 2011 | Schleicher ASW-27 | Brigham City, Utah, United States | Cumiford James H JR | No injuries | - |
| 29 May 2012 | Schleicher ASW-27 | Ionia, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Apr 2013 | Schleicher ASW-27 | Middletown, California, United States | Westerinen Charles J | No injuries | - |
| 10 Mar 2005 | Schleicher ASW 27 | Clermont, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2009 | Cessna 172P | Livermore, California, United States | Wollard Aviation Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 10 Dec 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Ojai, California, United States | Aviation Pacific Inc | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Fallbrook, California, United States | M.Y. Air Corp | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Mooney M20E | Rio Linda, California, United States | David Michaud | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Nov 2009 | Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 | Torrance, California, United States | Smith Richard Charles | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-24-260 | Santa Barbara, California, United States | Kris S Michel | No injuries | - |