# NTSB ERA11CA350: Eiriavion PIK 20B, N99136, Sterling, MA, June 16, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 16, 2011, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Sterling, MA
- Coordinates: 42.422222, -71.788887 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4222&lon=-71.7889&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 4, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 80814
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA350
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/80814/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80814
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA350

## Probable cause

The pilot's misjudgment of the amount of flaps required to attain the proper touchdown point. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's limited experience in the high performance glider.

## Findings

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

- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Eiriavion PIK 20B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=5760204), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Experience/qualifications: total experience w/ equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Eiriavion PIK 20B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md?model=5760204), [All aircraft, 269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md)
- [Flight control system: tE flap control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022750): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Eiriavion PIK 20B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022750/cases.md?model=5760204), [All aircraft, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022750/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Eiriavion PIK 20B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=5760204), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) (defining event); cases with it: [Eiriavion PIK 20B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=5760204), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Eiriavion PIK 20B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=5760204), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, this was his first flight in this flap only, high performance glider. The glider was towed to 5,000 feet, where the pilot practiced pattern work as well as extending and retracting the flaps, from zero degrees to 90 degrees, while maintaining an adequate airspeed for landing. The pilot entered a tight traffic pattern at the airport and extended the flaps to 30 degrees. On the final leg of the traffic pattern, the glider was in line with the runway, and the pilot intended to extend the flaps to 45 degrees, but was unsure if he did so. When the glider was halfway down the runway, the pilot knew he had excessive airspeed and was going to land further down the runway than intended. Near the end of the runway, the pilot thought he landed so he pushed the controls forward in order to gain ground control, but the glider continued over trees past the end of the runway. Since the glider did not have enough altitude to safely turn back to the runway, the pilot landed it in trees resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that he accumulated 107 hours of total flight time in a glider, of which, no hours were in the same make and model as the accident glider. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the glider.

## Factual narrative

According to the pilot, this was his first flight in this flap only, high performance glider. The glider was towed to 5,000 feet, where the pilot practiced pattern work as well as extending and retracting the flaps, from zero degrees to 90 degrees, while maintaining an adequate airspeed for landing. The pilot entered a tight traffic pattern at the airport and extended the flaps to 30 degrees. On the final leg of the traffic pattern, the glider was in line with the runway, and the pilot intended to extend the flaps to 45 degrees, but was unsure if he did so. When the glider was halfway down the runway, the pilot knew he had excessive airspeed and was going to land further down the runway than intended. Near the end of the runway, he pushed the controls forward in order to gain ground control, but the glider continued over trees past the end of the runway. Since the glider did not have enough altitude to safely turn back to the runway, the pilot landed in trees resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the glider and that he had never flown this make and model glider.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N99136](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99136), registered now, S/N 20147C (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EIRIAVION OY PIK 20B
- Registry model: [Eiriavion PIK 20B](https://openairdocs.org/model/eiriavion-pik-20b) (registry code 5760204) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 20147C
- Airframe hours: 2200
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Timothy Greenwood
- Registered owner: Timothy Greenwood
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 2011
- Departed: 3B3, Sterling, MA
- Destination: 3B3, Sterling, MA
- Airport: 3B3, Sterling Airport, runway 34, 3,086 × 40 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; last flight review June 29, 2009; seat: single; flight hours: 107 total, 0 in this make and model, 63 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observed at: FIT, 8 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 20110616012709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110616012709A), Jun 16, 2011: Eiriavion Oy PIK 20B, Sterling, MA, Substantial damage. The following is a statement submitted by the pilot of this aircraft:"this was my first flight in this glider, and also my first in a flap only ship and in a…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 8, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80814. 745 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 635 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40350208&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot Interview Summary (item 2, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349892&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Interview%20Summary-Master.PDF
- Fitchburg, MA Weather Observations (item 3, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349881&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Fitchburg,%20MA%20Weather%20Observations-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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