- Date
- September 20, 2014, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wurtsboro, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N421SLSchleicher ASK 21
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140920017749A
- Case key
- 90145
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
A loss of lift during the landing approach, which resulted in impact with terrain.
Findings · 3
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 his first flight of the day, the pilot of the glider experienced windy conditions and sinking air in the vicinity of the airport. He subsequently departed on a solo flight, flew for about 15 minutes, and then entered the airport traffic pattern for landing. To compensate for wind, he conducted the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at a higher speed, and entered the base leg early. On final approach for landing, the glider experienced a loss of lift and "rapid" loss of altitude, and landed short of the runway in an uneven area of vegetation, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During his first flight of the day, the pilot of the glider experienced windy conditions and sinking air in the vicinity of the airport. He subsequently departed on a solo flight, flew for about 15 minutes, and then entered the airport traffic pattern for landing. To compensate for wind, he conducted the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at a higher speed, and entered the base leg early. On final approach for landing, the glider experienced a loss of lift and "rapid" loss of altitude, and landed short of the runway in an uneven area of vegetation, resulting in substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N421SL
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASK 21 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 21808
- Built
- 2006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Waco Transport Business Trust
- Registered owner
- Waco Transport Business Trust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- N82 · Wurtsboro, NY
- Destination
- N82 · Wurtsboro, NY
- Airport
- N82 · Wurtsboro-Sullivan County
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
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 67 total · 10 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KMGJ, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 3, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.