# NTSB ERA14CA031: Schweizer SGS 1 26E, N2997H, Eighty Four, PA, October 19, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 19, 2013, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Eighty Four, PA - Coordinates: 40.130554, -80.096107 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1306&lon=-80.0961&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 13, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 88362 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88362/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88362 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA031 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed and glide path, which resulted in an overshoot, a hard landing, and a subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: total experience w/ equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/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); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting his second solo flight in the glider. Witnesses reported that the glider appeared fast while maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing. The pilot stated that the glider was high on final approach and he lowered the nose and attempted a slip maneuver; however, the glider touched down hard, beyond the mid-point of the 2,260 foot-long runway. It then bounced, became airborne, and was still flying too fast to land on the remaining runway. In an attempt to avoid obstacles that were located beyond the end and right side of the runway, the pilot maneuvered to the left and the glider subsequently impacted trees. The right wing separated and the left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the glider. He further reported that he had accumulated about 530 hours of total flight experience, which included about 18 hours in gliders, and .5 hours in the same make and model as the accident glider. ## Factual narrative The pilot was conducting his second solo flight in the glider. Witnesses reported that the glider appeared fast while maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing. The pilot stated that the glider was high on final approach and he lowered the nose and attempted a slip maneuver; however, the glider touched down hard, beyond the mid-point of the 2,260 foot-long runway. It then bounced, became airborne, and was still flying too fast to land on the remaining runway. In an attempt to avoid obstacles that were located beyond the end and right side of the runway, the pilot maneuvered to the left and the glider subsequently impacted trees. The right wing separated and the left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the glider. He further reported that he had accumulated about 530 hours of total flight experience, which included about 18 hours in gliders, and .5 hours in the same make and model as the accident glider. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2997H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2997H), registered now, S/N 697, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER SGS 1 26E - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-26e) (registry code 8050124) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 697 - Year built: 1979 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 16, 2013 - Departed: 22D, Eighty Four, PA - Destination: 22D, Eighty Four, PA - Airport: 22D, Bandel, runway 19, 2,260 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: serious; student, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 530 total, 1 in this make and model, 397 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: AFJ, 9 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 20131019023779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131019023779A), Oct 19, 2013: Schweizer SGS 1-26E, Eighty Four, PA, Substantial damage. During the landing phase, [privacy data omitted], who is a glider student pilot was operating N2997H, stated that he was coming in too fast and was too high.… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88362. 10.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407121&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot and Witness Interview Summaries (item 2, .PDF, 379 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407122&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20and%20Witness%20Interview%20Summaries-Master.PDF - Weather Observations (item 3, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407146&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Photograph # 1 – View of glider after recovery. (Provided by FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407148&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%201%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20glider%20after%20recovery.%20(Provided%20by%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph # 2 – View of separated right wing. (Provided by FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407149&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%202%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20separated%20right%20wing.%20(Provided%20by%20FAA)-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.