20110708011959A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Schweizer SGS 2-32 · Ferndale, MT · July 8, 2011

Date: July 8, 2011 · 17:21 local
Place: Ferndale, MT
Airport: Ferndale
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N591CC
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR11LA317
Reported as: Schweizer SGS 2-32
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 19,660 total

N591CCRegistration cancelled Oct 27, 2017 · Schweizer SGS 2-32S/N 34 · Built 1966 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 2-32 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.

During the conduct of a CFI renewal flight, the applicant and DPE were conducting pts task g: abnormal occurrences (towline break). Tow plane pilot indicated airspeed was 75 knots and 200 AGL when the tow pilot felt glider disconnect. Ground witnesses stated the glider pitched up, rolled to the right. The glider impacted the ground in a nose down attitude of approximately 65-70 degrees. This was the second flight for this flight crew and glider that day. Post impact inspection verified all control cables and control rods were attached. Control stick could not be moved due to crushing of the cockpit area.

As the FAA filed it

DURING THE CONDUCT OF A CFI RENEWAL FLIGHT, THE APPLICANT AND DPE WERE CONDUCTING PTS TASK G: ABNORMAL OCCURRENCES (TOWLINE BREAK). TOW PLANE PILOT INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS 75 KNOTS AND 200 AGL WHEN THE TOW PILOT FELT GLIDER DISCONNECT. GROUND WITNESSES STATED THE GLIDER PITCHED UP, ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE GLIDER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 65-70 DEGREES. THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT FOR THIS FLIGHT CREW AND GLIDER THAT DAY. POST IMPACT INSPECTION VERIFIED ALL CONTROL CABLES AND CONTROL RODS WERE ATTACHED. CONTROL STICK COULD NOT BE MOVED DUE TO CRUSHING OF THE COCKPIT AREA.

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 WPR11LA317Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBigfork, MTThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his excessive control inputs during a simulated rope break while taking off, which resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall.Jul 8, 2011 · Substantial damage