20030419005539A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 2-33A · Sterling, MA · April 19, 2003

Date: April 19, 2003 · 16:30 local
Place: Sterling, MA
Airport: Sterling Airport
Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1241S
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD03LA046
Reported as: Scwzer SGS233A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 27 total12 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N1241SRegistration cancelled Aug 15, 2006 · Schweizer SGS 2-33AS/N 223 · Built 1971 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 2-33A 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) Student pilot made right downwind to runway 16 at Sterling Airport at too low an altitude. Pilot turned right base leg cutting corner of normal traffic pattern. The student pilot turned right cutting off corner of normal traffic pattern again at base to final trying to make the runway. At this point the right wing contacted the trees on the right side of the approach to the runway causing the aircraft to turn 180 degrees coming to a stop in the trees.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) STUDENT PILOT MADE RIGHT DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 16 AT STERLING AIRPORT AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE. PILOT TURNED RIGHT BASE LEG CUTTING CORNER OF NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE STUDENT PILOT TURNED RIGHT CUTTING OFF CORNER OF NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN AGAIN AT BASE TO FINAL TRYING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. AT THIS POINT THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE TREES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN 180 DEGREES COMING TO A STOP IN THE TREES.

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 IAD03LA046Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSterling, MAThe student pilot's misjudgment of his traffic pattern altitudes, which resulted in a premature descent into a tree.Apr 19, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1241S · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19730824023669ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Erwinna, PAVeered into parked SGS233,N1174S,substl dmg. Plt had .3 solo in type. Second solo flt.Aug 24, 1973 · Substantial damage