# NTSB DEN99LA102: Schweizer SGU-2-22E, N5823V, Hobbs, NM, June 10, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 10, 1999, 15:20 local (21:20 UTC) - Place: Hobbs, NM - Coordinates: 32.729015, -103.160003 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7290&lon=-103.1600&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 13, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46578 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46578/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=46578 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA102 ## Probable cause Pilot incapacitation (loss of consciousness) due to dehydration and hyperventilation. Factors were the turbulence and excessive workload (task overload) that induced anxiety/apprehension, and striking the sign and the pole. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, descent - maneuver - intentional, pilot in command - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - anxiety/apprehension, pilot in command (contributing factor) - excessive workload (task overload), pilot in command (contributing factor) - incapacitation(loss of consciousness), pilot in command (cause) - object - sign (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - open field - object - pole (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot said his tow aloft had been 'fairly rough,' and he released at 2,000 feet, in turbulence, and ascended in a thermal to 5,000 feet. He was 'frustrated' by the turbulence, and was 'having trouble controlling the plane,' so he decided to land. He began to get 'frustrated and nervous' and started 'breathing really hard because [he] was scared.' He began to 'feel strange,' and his face and hands 'felt numb. . .like they had fallen asleep.' He began to see 'a lot of little dots,' and he 'passed out.' He regained consciousness just before striking a stop sign. He flew under some powerlines, then landed in a field, and struck a pole embedded in the ground. A physician said the pilot was dehydrated and had hyperventilated, causing the brief lapse of consciousness. ## Factual narrative On June 10, 1999, approximately 1520 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer SGU-2-22E, N5823V, owned and operated by the Civil Air Patrol, Inc., Maxwell AFB, Alabama, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing approach at Hobbs, New Mexico. The student pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated approximately 1500. The pilot wrote a statement for CAP officials on June 10, 1999. He said he had been doing steep turns at 1,000 feet [agl (above ground level)]. He began to "feel funny," so he started to roll out of the turn and "blacked out" about the time the glider struck a stop sign. The glider then flew below some powerlines. The pilot landed in a field and the glider struck a pole on the ground. The pilot wrote a second statement that accompanied his NTSB accident report, dated June 24, 1999. He said his instructor approved the solo flight. "The winds were not bad enough to where I could not solo," he wrote. There was some crosswind from the south and the tow was "fairly rough." He released from the tow at 2,000 feet agl, in turbulence, and ascended in a thermal to 5,000 feet agl. The pilot said he was "being frustrated" by the turbulence, and was "having trouble controlling the plane," so he decided to land. He began to get "frustrated and nervous." He was "breathing really hard because [he] was scared." He started to "feel strange" and his face and hands "felt numb. . .like they had fallen asleep." He began to see "a lot of little dots" and "passed out." He regained consciousness just before striking a stop sign. He then flew under some powerlines, landed in a field, and struck a pole embedded in the ground. A third statement (almost identical to the second) was written on August 3, 1999, and accompanied a second NTSB accident report. Mark Kennedy and Jon McKinley witnessed the accident and submitted statements as to their observations (attached). Although the pilot was uninjured in the accident, he was transported to the Lea Regional Medical Center where he was examined and released. The pilot's parents signed a release and their son's medical records were given to an FAA inspector. The physician who examined the pilot told CAP officials that he was dehydrated. This, together with his hyperventilating, probably caused the brief lapse of consciousness. The official diagnosis was "vasovagal syncope." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5823V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5823V-2002-10-21), registration cancelled 2002-10-21, S/N 199, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGU-2-22E - Registry model: [Schweizer SGU 2-22E](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgu-2-22e) (registry code 8050612) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 199 - Airframe hours: 1358 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 22, 1998 - Departed: HBB - Airport: HBB, Hobbs Industrial ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 15; student; seat: front; flight hours: 9 total, 2 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 12 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HOB ## 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 19990610045579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990610045579A), Jun 10, 1999: Scwzer SGU222E, Hobbs, NM, No damage. (-23)On June 10, 1999, at 1520MST, a Schweizer SGU-2-22E, registration number: N5823V, registered to the civil air patrol, while on a solo training flight from… ## Other investigations on N5823V (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 MKC67F0581](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC67F0581), May 6, 1967: Schweizer SGU-2 (N5823V), Red Wing, MN, substantial damage ## Docket (14 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 1999, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=46578. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 812 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460616&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 187 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460617&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460618&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Glider's Flight Path (item 4, .PDF, 138 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110078&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Glider%27s%20Flight%20Path-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Hobbs Industrial Airpark - View of field where N5823V came to rest. (item 5, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110079&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Hobbs%20Industrial%20Airpark%20-%20View%20of%20field%20where%20N5823V%20came%20to%20rest.-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Pole struck by right wing of N5823V. (item 6, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Pole%20struck%20by%20right%20wing%20of%20N5823V.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Aft view of N5823V and pole in foreground, struck by right wing of aircraft. (item 7, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110081&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20Aft%20view%20of%20N5823V%20and%20pole%20in%20foreground,%20struck%20by%20right%20wing%20of%20aircraft.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Forward view of N5823V. (item 8, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110082&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20Forward%20view%20of%20N5823V.-Master.PDF - Photo 5. View of Aft upper surface of right wing. (item 9, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110083&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20View%20of%20Aft%20upper%20surface%20of%20right%20wing.-Master.PDF - Photo 6. View of lower right wing. (item 10, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110084&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20View%20of%20lower%20right%20wing.-Master.PDF - Photo 7. View of N5823V right wing leading edge and lower strut damage. (item 11, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110085&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207.%20View%20of%20N5823V%20right%20wing%20leading%20edge%20and%20lower%20strut%20damage.-Master.PDF - Photo 8. View of N5823V right wing leading edge and lower strut damage. (Same as Photo 7) (item 12, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110086&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208.%20View%20of%20N5823V%20right%20wing%20leading%20edge%20and%20lower%20strut%20damage.%20(Same%20as%20Photo%207)-Master.PDF - Photo 9. View of N5823V right wing trailing edge, rear spar and ribs. (item 13, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110087&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%209.%20View%20of%20N5823V%20right%20wing%20trailing%20edge,%20rear%20spar%20and%20ribs.-Master.PDF - Photo 10. View of N5823V right wing trailing edge, rear spar and ribs. (Same as Photo 9) (item 14, .PDF, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40110088&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010.%20View%20of%20N5823V%20right%20wing%20trailing%20edge,%20rear%20spar%20and%20ribs.%20(Same%20as%20Photo%209)-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. --- 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.