- Date
- March 12, 2024, 09:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Falcon, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2905HSchweizer SGS 2-33A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240312003019A
- Case key
- 193927
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain control during takeoff which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and an impact with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor stated that during the ground launch he rotated the glider and then accelerated in ground effect before he pulled aft stick to accelerate on the launch arc. He then applied right stick correction for runway alignment after which a gust of wind lifted the right wing. The flight instructor was unable to counter the left roll with flight control inputs and the glider stalled. The tow rope, once side loaded, automatically disconnected as designed. The left wing impacted the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The flight instructor stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal glider operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2905H
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 545
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 8,200.2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- High Flights Soaring Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 21, 2023
- Departed
- KFLY · Falcon, CO
- Airport
- FLY · Meadow Lake, runway 16, 5,001 × 200 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2023
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,269 total · 127 in this make and model · 3,499 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 14
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3 total · 3 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.99 inHg
- Observed at
- KFLY
- METAR
- KFLY 121515Z AUTO 28006KT 10 SM CLR 08/M07 A2999 RMK AO2 T00761067=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.