# NTSB CEN15CA010: Schweizer SGS 2 33A, N36135, Waynesville, OH, October 12, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 12, 2014, 12:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place: Waynesville, OH
- Coordinates: 39.476665, -84.093887 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4767&lon=-84.0939&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report January 12, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 90255
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15CA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90255/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90255
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15CA010

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot; cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot and flight instructor planned on conducting a flight review in a glider, which was expected to take three flights. The first flight was the accident flight. After departure, the pilot performed several maneuvers behind the tow plane, to include 90-degree steep turns, before releasing from the tow plane. The pilot performed some additional maneuvers before descending to 1,500 ft agl in preparation to land. The flight instructor reported that he gave no specific instructions to the pilot for the landing. As the glider approached the runway, the pilot preformed a forward slip with full rudder and full spoilers deployed. The pilot stopped the slip in order to clear trees at the end of the runway. After clearing the trees, the pilot resumed the slip with the spoilers still deployed. As the glider neared the ground, the pilot discontinued the slip. The flight instructor said that as the pilot came out of the slip, the glider's descent rate increased. The pilot made no attempt to flare the glider, which resulted in a hard landing. The glider sustained only minor damage; however, the pilot was seriously injured. The flight instructor stated that an upslope in the runway may have given the pilot the visual illusion that that they were higher above the ground than they actually were. He also said that he was overly confident in the pilot's ability and let his guard down.

## Factual narrative

The pilot and flight instructor planned on conducting a flight review in a glider, which was expected to take three flights. The first flight was the accident flight. After departure, the pilot performed several maneuvers behind the tow plane, to include 90-degree steep turns, before releasing from the tow plane. The pilot performed some additional maneuvers before descending to 1,500 ft agl in preparation to land. The flight instructor reported that he gave no specific instructions to the pilot for the landing. As the glider approached the runway, the pilot preformed a forward slip with full rudder and full spoilers deployed. The pilot stopped the slip in order to clear trees at the end of the runway. After clearing the trees, the pilot resumed the slip with the spoilers still deployed. As the glider neared the ground, the pilot discontinued the slip. The flight instructor said that as the pilot came out of the slip, the glider's descent rate increased. The pilot made no attempt to flare the glider, which resulted in a hard landing. The glider sustained only minor damage; however, the pilot was seriously injured. The flight instructor stated that an upslope in the runway may have given the pilot the visual illusion that that they were higher above the ground than they actually were. He also said that he was overly confident in the pilot's ability and let his guard down.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N36135](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N36135), registered now, S/N 564 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER SGS 2 33A
- Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-2-33a) (registry code 8051606) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 564
- Airframe hours: 3600
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Soaring Society Of Dayton Inc
- Registered owner: Soaring Society Of Dayton Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2014
- Departed: 2OH9, Waynesville, OH
- Destination: 2OH9, Waynesville, OH
- Airport: 2OH9, Caesar Creek Gliderport, runway 09, 2,800 × 150 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 56; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 6, 2014; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,166 total, 230 in this make and model, 1,084 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days
- Pilot; age 23; injuries: serious; private; last flight review April 14, 2014; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 70 total, 42 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observed at: ILN, 14 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 20141012019169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141012019169A), Oct 12, 2014: Schweizer SGS 2-33A, Waynesville, OH, Minor damage. [privacy data omitted] Was conducting a flight review with[privacy data omitted]. [privacy data omitted] Was the pilot flying, occupying the front seat, and…

## Other investigations on N36135 (1)

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.

- [NTSB CEN13CA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA385), Jun 29, 2013: Schweizer SGS 2-33A (N36135), Waynesville, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot did not attain a proper touchdown point during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the simulated altimeter and spoiler failure and the flight instructor's lack of remedial action.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 12, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90255. 962 KB in all.

- Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Incident Report, (item 1, .PDF, 940 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40419994&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Incident%20Report,%20-Redacted.PDF
- FAA telephone interview (item 2, .PDF, 23 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40419995&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20telephone%20interview-Master.PDF

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.

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