- Date
- July 26, 2007, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Warrensburg, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N33950Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Kansas City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070726013689A
- Case key
- 66366
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 adequate airspeed and aircraft control, which resulted in a stall while on final approach. A factor in the accident were the two fences.
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 terrain during an approach to land. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the glider was towed to 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL) before releasing from the tow plane, after which soaring maneuvers and turns were performed. The glider then entered the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet AGL. When the glider turned to the base leg, the CFI noticed that it was "above glide path" and he performed 360 degree turns to lose altitude and "give time for second glider to launch." The CFI stated that while on final approach the glider rolled "abruptly" to the right at approximately 80 degrees of bank and began to descend. The CFI recovered just above the ground and then noticed that the glider was heading toward a fence line. The glider was able to climb over the fence and began a turn toward the airport. The pilot reported that the glider "stalled" and impacted terrain as he attempted to maneuver the glider over a second fence line.
Factual narrative
The glider was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an approach to land. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the glider was towed to 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL) before releasing from the tow plane, after which soaring maneuvers and turns were performed. The glider then entered the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet AGL. When the glider turned to the base leg, the CFI noticed that it was "above glide path" and he performed 360 degree turns to lose altitude and "give time for second glider to launch." The CFI stated that while on final approach the glider rolled "abruptly" to the right at approximately 80 degrees of bank and began to descend. The CFI recovered just above the ground and then noticed that the glider was heading toward a fence line. The glider was able to climb over the fence and began a turn toward the airport. The pilot reported that the glider "stalled" and impacted terrain as he attempted to maneuver the glider over a second fence line.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33950
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 380
- Airframe hours
- 2,900
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- University of Central Missouri
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2007
- Departed
- RCM · Warrensburg, MO
- Destination
- RCM
- Airport
- RCM · Skyhaven Airport
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 566 total · 32 in this make and model · 488 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- RCM, 1 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.
Other investigations on N33950 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.