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CHI83FA419

1983-09-07 · LAPEER, Michigan, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport D95

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER AN UNSCHEDULED TOW RELEASE AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL.THIS WAS THE PLTS FIRST FLT IN THIS ACFT AFTER HAVING THE ENGINE REMOVED AND THE ACFT RECERTIFIED AS A GLIDER. GROUND PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE GLIDER AND TOW PILOT RELEASE THE TOW ROPE AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. THE GLIDER'S BANK ANGLE CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND THE NOSE DROPPED. THE GLIDER CONTINUED IN THIS ATTITUDE UNTIL THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_CHI83FA419.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.