Wsk Pzl Krosno KR-03A accident near Kutztown, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1996
On October 6, 1996 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Wsk Pzl Krosno KR-03A (glider), registered N288S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kutztown, Pennsylvania (Kutztown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the glider pilot's improper decision to takeoff despite the presence of a glider winch cable lying on the runway area, which led to the glider snagging the winch cable during the takeoff roll and a subsequent forced landing. A related factor was: the airport manager's improper decision to conduct aero-tow operations, while the glider winch cable was lying on the runway area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1996 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kutztown, Pennsylvania · Kutztown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wsk Pzl Krosno KR-03A
- Registration
- N288S · registry record · serial 03-23
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger of the glider were towed by a Cessna 182 from the right side of the 2,435 foot long grass runway. A winch cable was lying in the grass, parallel to the runway, extending from a glider winch truck. A witness saw the glider approximately 300 feet from the end of the runway with the winch cable hanging from the nose area of the glider. At an altitude of 40 to 50 feet above the ground, the glider pilot realized the glider had caught the winch cable, and released the tow line. The tow line and the winch cable dropped from the glider, and the glider pilot executed a turn to the left. The left wing of the glider came in contact with standing corn stalks, the glider rotated around the left wing tip and impacted the ground. The pilot reported that he discussed the presence of the cable with the airport manager, and the takeoff seemed normal except that it took a little longer to get airborne. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the with 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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1996; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,190 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N31 PA at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,435 ft by 240 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.