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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 30, 1983 · Schweizer SGS 1-23G · N3843A

Warrenton, VA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 30, 1983
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Warrenton, VA
Aircraft
Schweizer SGS 1-23G
Tail Number
N3843A
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL83FA299

At an altitude of about 4,500 ft the glider was observed to pull up into a stall and enter a spin which continued for three turns. The glider came out of the spin into a left spiral and appeared to be traveling at a very high speed. The nose then 'tucked under' until the glider was inverted. What appeared to be a two to three turn inverted spin followed. The glider recovered from the spin and flew inverted for a short distance. It then appeared to roll upright briefly, but returned to the inverted position before impacting the ground. The flight manual which accompanied this aircraft advises 'The 1-23H or 1-23H-15 is aerobatic, but extreme cautions should be taken not to exceed placard speed. Pilots with no aerobatic experience should not attempt inverted or difficult maneuvers without an adequate amount of dual in such.' Under the topic of spins the manual also stated 'Recovery is normal. Care should be taken not to dump stick too much as ship may go beyond vertical.'

Full Narrative

AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 4,500 FT THE GLIDER WAS OVSERVED TO PULL UP INTO A STALL & ENTER A SPIN WHICH CONTINUED FOR THREE TURNS. THE GLIDER CAME OUT OF THE SPIN INTO A LEFT SPIRAL & APPEARED TO BE TRAVELING AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. THE NOSE THEN 'TUCKED UNDER' UNTIL THE GLIDER WAS INVERTED. WHAT APPEARED TO BE A TWO TO THREE TURN INVERTED SPIN FOLLOWED. THE GLIDER RECOVERED FROM THE SPIN & FLEW INVERTED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE. IT THEN APPEARED TO ROLL UPRIGHT BRIEFLY, BUT RETURNED TO THE INVERTED POSITION BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT MANUAL WHICH ACCOMPANIED THIS ACFT ADVISES 'THE 1-23H OR 1-23H-15 IS AEROBATIC, BUT EXTREME CAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN NOT TO EXCEED PLACARD SPEED. PILOTS WITH NO AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT INVERTED OR DIFFICULT MANEUVERS WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF DUAL IN SUCH.' UNDER THE TOPIC OF SPINS THE MANUAL ALSO STATED 'RECOVERY IS NORMAL. CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN NOT TO DUMP STICK TOO MUCH AS SHIP MAY GO BEYOND VERTICAL.'

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:05 EDT
Nearest Airport1nm NE
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftSchweizer SGS 1-23G
Tail NumberN3843A
Aircraft CategoryGli
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines0
Engine TypeUnknown
Engine DetailsUnknown · OTHER 09 · Unknown
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 33 · Unknown

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind230° @ 5 kt
Visibility8 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time18:49
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data