- Date
- August 4, 2013, 11:23 local (15:23 UTC)
- Place
- Erwinna, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1211SSchweizer SGS 2-33A
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130804017049A
- Case key
- 87691
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 student pilot's improper altitude and energy management in the landing pattern which resulted in the glider impacting a tree and landing short of the runway.
Findings · 6
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
During a local solo flight, the student pilot planned to land the glider on runway 23. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the glider was “high at the key”. Abeam the end of the runway he was still “a little high” so he elected to deploy the wing spoilers. Then while turning on to the base leg of the traffic pattern he was still high, so he decided to crab into the wind and slip the glider. While on base prior to turning final he noticed that the “wind had picked up and it slowed the glider down.” Turning final he noticed “it was going to be close” and had contemplated changing to runway 25; however, he thought the glider would make it to runway 23. The glider impacted a tree about 25 feet above ground level with the left wing and came to rest short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the glider revealed that the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged.
Factual narrative
During a local solo flight, the student pilot planned to land the glider on runway 23. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the glider was “high at the key”. Abeam the end of the runway he was still “a little high” so he elected to deploy the wing spoilers. Then while turning on to the base leg of the traffic pattern he was still high, so he decided to crab into the wind and slip the glider. While on base prior to turning final he noticed that the “wind had picked up and it slowed the glider down.” Turning final he noticed “it was going to be close” and had contemplated changing to runway 25; however, he thought the glider would make it to runway 23. The glider impacted a tree about 25 feet above ground level with the left wing and came to rest short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the glider revealed that the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1211S
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 208
- Airframe hours
- 4,616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 17, 2013
- Departed
- 9N1 · Erwinna, PA
- Destination
- 9N1 · Erwinna, PA
- Airport
- 9N1 · Vansant Airport, runway 23, 1,340 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Student, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 19, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 460 total · 18 in this make and model · 360 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- DYL, 9 nm away
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 31, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 16.6 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.