I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 accident near Savannah, Tennessee, August 26, 1990
On August 26, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 (glider), registered N60DF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savannah, Tennessee (Hardin County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF THE FLIGHT. FACTORS WERE: GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS AND TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Tennessee · Hardin County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2
- Registration
- N60DF · registry record · serial 111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED. DESPITE FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS TO COUNTERACT THE WIND, A WINGTIP DRAGGED THE GROUND, AND THE GLIDER BROKE UP. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS ABOUT 101 DEGREES AT THE TIME, AND THE AIR WAS ROUGH AND TURBULENT. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT GLIDER OPERATIONS AT THE AIRPORT WERE CANCELLED THE NEXT DAY DUE TO THE ROUGH AIR. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE GLIDER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,386 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 2,238 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,308 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SNH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MKL, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N60DF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL90LA162.