# NTSB BFO93LA161: Schweizer SGS2-33A, N34367, Eighty Four, PA, September 6, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 6, 1993, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Eighty Four, PA - Coordinates: 40.179241, -80.130699 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1792&lon=-80.1307&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 8809 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93LA161 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8809/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93LA161 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S UTILIZATION OF IMPROPER PROCEDURES FOR SETTING THE ALTIMETER WHICH LED TO HIS MISJUDGING ALTITUDE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - procedures/directives - improper, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - misjudged, pilot in command - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO ANY FLIGHT, HE ALWAYS SET THE GLIDER'S ALTIMETER TO READ AN ALTITUDE OF ZERO FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE GOT INTO THE GLIDER IMMEDIATELY AFTER SOMEONE ELSE GOT OUT, AND THOUGHT HE SET THE ALTIMETER TO READ MEAN SEA LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WHILE ON DOWNWIND TO THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE'S ALTIMETER INDICATED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1,000 FEET. HE THOUGHT HE HAD ANOTHER 1,000 FEET TO THE GROUND AND INTENTIONALLY LOST ALTITUDE TO MAKE A LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SOON REALIZED THE GLIDER WAS CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND TURNED LEFT TOWARDS THE RUNWAY TO LAND. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING CONTACTED TREES. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE ALTIMETER WAS SET TO THAT DAY'S BAROMETRIC PRESSURE. ## Factual narrative On Monday, September 6, 1993, at 1515 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer SGS2-33A, N34367, operated by PGH Soaring Club Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and piloted by Warren Johnson of McMurray, Pennsylvania, collided with terrain while in the Bandel Airport's traffic pattern. The pilot was not injured and the glider was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, that prior to all his flights, he would set the airplane's altimeter to read zero feet--not the field's elevation. The pilot said that he got into the glider immediately after someone else got out, and thought he set the altimeter to read zero feet above mean sea level. A witness to the accident stated, "I had preflighted N34367, set the altimeter to 1200 feet field elevation and flown the flight previous to Warren Johnson's flight." The pilot stated that the flight was uneventful and while on the downwind leg for the runway, he thought he was about 1,000 feet above the ground because the altimeter was reading about 1,000 feet. The pilot wrote on the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form, "...Announced downwind for RW [runway] 36, altimeter read 1,000 feet but [I] realized I was lower, planned to cut downwind leg short, turned left onto base, left wing hit tree." The airplane fell through the trees and came to rest about three feet from the ground. The post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the altimeter was set to that day's barometric pressure of 30.06 inches of mercury and indicated an altitude of about 1,200 feet above mean sea level. The Bandel airport's field elevation is 1,210 feet above mean sea level. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34367](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N34367), registered now, S/N 407, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER SGS2-33A - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-2-33a) (registry code 8051606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 407 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pgh Soaring Club Inc. - Registered owner: Pgh Soaring Club Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Airport: 22D, Bandel, runway 1, 2,100 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; private; medical: unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 96 total, 68 in this make and model, 58 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: AOO, 20 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930906032929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930906032929A), Sep 6, 1993: Scwzer SGS233A, Eighty Four, PA, Substantial damage. Beleived altimeter set zero feet on ground. Prior pilot setting of 1200 feet MSL not reset. Landed short of airport From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.