ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 88141
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| Date: | Saturday 10 November 1984 |
| Time: | 12:10 |
| Type: |  SZD-30 Pirat |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZK-GIG |
| MSN: | B-567 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Kaitoke Airstrip, Wellington 4 -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Kaitoke Airstrip |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Pilot: James Joseph Keegan. R.I.P.
The glider took off by aero-tow from Kaitoke airstrip situated on a ridge about 1,100 feet AMSL and about 300 feet above the local area of the valley floor.
Just after take-off, and at a height which would have precluded a return to the airstrip by the glider, the tug and glider combination encountered turbulence which resulted in the glider becoming out of position to a point where the tow plane pilot was considering immediately casting off from the tow .
Before the tow pilot could do this the glider pilot released the tow and turned right and proceeded towards the east to make an out-landing on the valley floor. This was the accepted procedure followed in the event of a premature release of the tow or a broken tow rope at a critical altitude. There were several suitable areas for a glider landing on this part of the valley floor.
The glider was observed on the downwind leg of the approach to a suitable paddock, with the air brakes partially extended.
When the aircraft was over the out-landing area at a height of about 100 feet it appeared to stall, and then roll over and dive steeply into the ground.
The crash occurred in a level grass field 1 km NE of Kaitoke airstrip at an elevation of 800 feet AMSL.
The glider was wrecked by the impact and the pilot was killed.
The accident investigator's report included the following findings :
3.4 The glider's all up weight and CG were within the prescribed limits.
3.5 Prior to the accident the glider was airworthy.
3.6 During the early stage of an aerotow the glider was flown out of position behind the towplane .
As a result the glider pilot released his aircraft from the tow and flew it towards the outlanding
area.
3.7 The glider's airbrakes were deployed prematurely so that it arrived in the outlanding area at a
low height.
3.8 When overhead the outlanding area the pilot inadvertently stalled the glider.
3.9 The glider entered a spin at a height which precluded recovery.
3.10 The possibility that the pilot suffered a partial incapacity as a consequence of his medical
condition cannot be discounted.
3.11 Probable cause : The probable cause of this accident was an inadvertent stall and spin at a
height which precluded recovery.
Sources:
1. Air Accident Report No. 84-111.
2. Press, 12 November 1984
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Jan-2011 14:00 | ASN archive | |
| 08-Jul-2011 06:00 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Plane category, ] |
| 08-Jul-2011 06:05 | angels one five | Updated [Time] |
| 02-Jan-2012 01:15 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 07-Jul-2013 16:55 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 17-May-2018 03:02 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 13-Feb-2022 02:07 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 05-Dec-2023 02:00 | Ron Averes | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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