- Date
- September 7, 2014, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Avoca, NY
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N31GFSchleicher ASW 19B
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140907016109A
- Case key
- 90040
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 pilot's decision to attempt a return to his departure airport which resulted in the glider's encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight and an off-airport landing.
Findings · 4
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
The glider pilot stated that when he reached his intended destination, lift increased and he decided to fly back to the departure airport. As the glider flew closer to the departure airport, the lift decreased and the glider was about 800 feet above ground level, approximately 10 miles away from the departure airport. The pilot was unable to locate another airport and elected to land in a field. While on final approach for the field, the pilot observed a small hill prior to the field and turned left to avoid a straight-on collision. The left wing subsequently struck the hill and the glider came to rest upright in the field. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider. Examination of the glider by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the left wing, forward fuselage, and tailcone.
Factual narrative
The glider pilot stated that when he reached his intended destination, lift increased and he decided to fly back to the departure airport. As the glider flew closer to the departure airport, the lift decreased and the glider was about 800 feet above ground level, approximately 10 miles away from the departure airport. The pilot was unable to locate another airport and elected to land in a field. While on final approach for the field, the pilot observed a small hill prior to the field and turned left to avoid a straight-on collision. The left wing subsequently struck the hill and the glider came to rest upright in the field. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider. Examination of the glider by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the left wing, forward fuselage, and tailcone.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31GF
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASW 19B
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 19386
- Built
- 1983
- Airframe hours
- 959
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 28, 2014
- Departed
- DSV · Dansville, NY
- Destination
- 7N1 · Corning, NY
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Last flight review
- July 12, 2014
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 296 total · 32 in this make and model · 98 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- DSV, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 30, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.