I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 accident near Blairstown, New Jersey, March 4, 2000
On March 4, 2000 at about 6:52 pm local time, a I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 (glider), registered N97VT, was destroyed in an accident near Blairstown, New Jersey (Blairstown 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the encountering of wind conditions in flight that inhibited the pilot from maintaining altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2000 · about 6:52 pm local time
- Place
- Blairstown, New Jersey · Blairstown · 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
- N97VT · registry record · serial 104
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider was towed to 3,000 feet and released over a ridge where it was thermaled to 3,500 feet. After descending to 2,000 feet over the ridge to look for more thermals, the pilot decided to return to the airport. During the return to the airport, the pilot encountered wind conditions that inhibited the glider from maintaining altitude. The pilot positioned the glider to make an off airport landing in a field approximately 3 miles southeast of the airport. The glider collided with trees bordering the field, then fell to the ground. Winds were reported out of the north at 10 knots gusting to 16 knots. The pilot reported a total time of 1,250 hours, of which 380 were in gliders and 10 hours in make and model. The pilot also reported there were no mechanical deficiencies 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,288 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,162 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,412 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1999; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N7 Blairstown NJ at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from 12N, 12 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.
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 IAD00LA025.