I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 accident near Wenatchee, Washington, August 15, 2001
On August 15, 2001 at about 3:00 am local time, a I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 (glider), registered N29JB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington (Pangborn Memorial airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure to maintain clearance from terrain during a low altitude turn. The second pilot overshooting the runway was a contributing factor to the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2001 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · Pangborn Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2
- Registration
- N29JB · registry record · serial 1528B2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The second pilot stated he was attempting to land on the grass runway. After determining the glider was too high to land on the intended runway, the first pilot took control of the aircraft in an attempt to maneuver the glider to an alternate landing location beyond the departure end of the runway. However, during the maneuver the glider's left wingtip contacted the ground. The first pilot reported that it was evident the glider was too high to land on the intended runway, and too low to abort the landing. He reported that he "…took the controls" in an effort to maneuver the glider into a better position for landing. He reported that he intended to land in an open area between the departure end of the runway 07 and trees located east of the runway. During the maneuver, the glider's left wingtip contacted the ground, and "caused the aircraft to do an abrupt yaw to the left." Witnesses to the accident reported the glider contacted the terrain in a left wing-low, nose-down attitude approximately 60 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. For the purpose of this report, the first pilot is defined as the pilot who was manipulating the flight controls at the time of the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: powered-lift
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,301 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAT Wenatchee WA at 2:50 am
- Destination: EAT Wenatchee WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 322° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from EAT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 SEA01LA150.