Amateur-built SAILPLANE accident near Montpelier, Ohio, June 5, 1983
On June 5, 1983 at about 1:20 pm local time, a amateur-built SAILPLANE (glider), registered N13HT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montpelier, Ohio (Woodruff airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1983 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Montpelier, Ohio · Woodruff
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SAILPLANE
- Registration
- N13HT · registry record · serial 325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER DRAGGED A WING AND CARLWHEELED DURING A LOW TURN MANEUVER BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPARENTLY HAD FAILED TO LOCK THE FLAP HANDLE IN THE PROPER POSITION AND THE ACFT HAD PICKED UP EXCESS AIRSPEED. IN TRYING TO STAY IN THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AND AVOID PARKED AIRCRAFT THE PILOT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 76 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 30 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 1 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None MONERAI (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,080 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.