- Date
- July 29, 2004, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Warrensburg, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N33950Schweizer SGS 2-33
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040729017569A
- Case key
- 59942
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 pilot's inadequate compaensation for the winds, and his inability to maintain directional control of the glider after encountering tall grass during the landing roll. The reported wind gust, tall grass, and the fence were contributing factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The glider impacted a fence during landing following a simulated towline break. The pilot reported that during the landing a gust of wind raised the right wing of the glider causing the left wing to contact the ground. The pilot reported that due to the 8 to 10 inch tall grass the glider veered to the left. The glider subsequently impacted a barbed-wire fence.
Factual narrative
On July 29, 2004, about 1015 central daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33 glider, N33950, piloted by a private pilot and designated pilot examiner, received substantial damage during landing after simulating a towline break on initial climb after takeoff. The glider was landing on the turf adjacent to runway 36 at the Skyhaven Airport near Warrensburg, Missouri. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. No injuries were reported. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that during the takeoff the examiner released the glider from the tow-plane to simulate a towline break. He stated that the release was made about 200 feet above the ground. The pilot reported that during the subsequent landing, a gust of wind raised the right wing of the glider causing the left wing to contact the ground. The pilot reported that due to the 8 to 10 inch tall grass the glider veered to the left. The glider subsequently impacted a barbed-wire fence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33950
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 380
- Airframe hours
- 2,885
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Central Missouri State University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 2004
- Departed
- 9K4 · Warrensburg, MO
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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 18, 2003
- Flight hours
- 213 total · 11 in this make and model · 173 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N33950 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.