20010908039349A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 1-35 · Cumberland, MD · September 8, 2001

Date: September 8, 2001 · 16:20 local
Place: Cumberland, MD
Airport: Cumberland Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2540H
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC01LA225
Reported as: Scwzer SGS135
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 280 total1 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N2540HRegistration cancelled Aug 5, 2013 · Schweizer SGS 1-35S/N 52 · Built 1976 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-35 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot was flying this type glider for the first time, after receiving a cockpit briefing from an instructor the pilot was towed to 3000 feet for a local flight. He then entered a downwind at 500 feet with an airspeed that was recommended during the briefing. Pilot was distracted by another glider landing on the runway ahead of him and he discovered that the spoiler/flap combination was not as effective as previous makes and models he has flown. As a result he was high and fast. When he made contact with the 3400 foot runway he bounced several times approx. 10 feet into the air and then a final bounce at the end, up and over over a dirt berm into a 12 foot chain link fence. The glider struck the fence at approx 35 knots and left an indent in the fencing approx. 5 feet deep. The aircraft was substantially damaged with no injuries to the pilot.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS FLYING THIS TYPE GLIDER FOR THE FIRST TIME, AFTER RECEIVING A COCKPIT BRIEFING FROM AN INSTRUCTOR THE PILOT WAS TOWED TO 3000 FEET FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. HE THEN ENTERED A DOWNWIND AT 500 FEET WITH AN AIRSPEED THAT WAS RECOMMENDED DURING THE BRIEFING. PILOT WAS DISTRACTED BY ANOTHER GLIDER LANDING ON THE RUNWAY AHEAD OF HIM AND HE DISCOVERED THAT THE SPOILER/FLAP COMBINATION WAS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS PREVIOUS MAKES AND MODELS HE HAS FLOWN. AS A RESULT HE WAS HIGH AND FAST. WHEN HE MADE CONTACT WITH THE 3400 FOOT RUNWAY HE BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES APPROX. 10 FEET INTO THE AIR AND THEN A FINAL BOUNCE AT THE END, UP AND OVER OVER A DIRT BERM INTO A 12 FOOT CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE GLIDER STRUCK THE FENCE AT APPROX 35 KNOTS AND LEFT AN INDENT IN THE FENCING APPROX. 5 FEET DEEP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WITH NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC01LA225Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCumberland, MDThe pilot misjudged distance and altitude. A factor was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the glider.Sep 8, 2001 · Substantial damage