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CHI90DEC05

1990-09-30 · RICHMOND, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 69G

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S PREMATURE RETRACTION OF THE FLAPS ALLOWING THE GLIDER TO SETTLE INTO AN UNUSUALLY LOW TOW ALTITUDE.

Factual narrative

SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE THE PILOT RETRACTED THE FLAPS WHILE IN A NORMAL LOW-TOW POSITION. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE GLIDER THEN SETTLED INTO AN EXTREMELY LOW-TOW POSITION. HE HESITATED ON MAKING ANY ATTITUDE CORRECTIONS FEARING IT WOULD CAUSE THE TOW AIRCRAFT TO STALL. AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 180 FT, THE GLIDER PILOT RELEASED THE TOW LINE AND LINED UP FOR A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE FIELD. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A TREE AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_CHI90DEC05.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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