# NTSB ERA22LA326: Schweizer SGS 2-33A, N3616Q, Waynesville, OH, July 10, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 10, 2022, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Waynesville, OH - Coordinates: 39.476881, -84.092923 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4769&lon=-84.0929&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105535 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA326 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105535/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105535 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA326 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his inability to locate the intended landing runway and his decision to perform an off-airport landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Light condition: glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel; cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md) - [Perception/orientation/illusion: geographic disorient (lost)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, was transitioning to flying gliders and had about 27 hours of glider flying experience at the time of the accident. On the afternoon of the accident flight he had completed two instructional flights before being signed off for his first solo flight. After departing on the solo flight, the pilot released the glider from the tow airplane at the planned altitude of 2,000 ft above ground level (agl). The pilot knew he was about 2 miles from the departure airport, but he was having difficulty locating the turf runway due to the glare of the setting sun. After descending to about 1,100 ft agl, and still not being able to locate the runway, he selected a corn field for an off-airport landing. The glider’s fuselage and right wing were substantially damaged during the subsequent landing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the glider that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3616Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3616Q), registered now, S/N 567, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-2-33a) (registry code 8051606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 567 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 3818 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Soaring Society Of Dayton Inc - Registered owner: Soaring Society Of Dayton Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 26, 2022 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 2OH9, Caesar Creek Soaring Club Gliderport, runway 9, 2,800 × 150 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 4, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 570.3 total, 27.6 in this make and model, 459.8 as pilot in command, 9.9 in the last 90 days, 2.7 in the last 30 days, 0.9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: MGY, 8 nm away - METAR: KMGY 102353Z AUTO 10003KT 10SM CLR 26/18 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP144 T02610178 10300 20261 56006 ## 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 20220710011969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220710011969A), Jul 10, 2022: Schweizer SGS 2-33A, Waynesville, OH, Substantial damage. The pilot stated that after release of the tow, pilot become disoriented and lost sight of the field. After reviewing options, maneuvering and losing altitude,… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 24, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105535. 9.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15102198&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_N3616Q_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 5.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15103241&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot_Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 423 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15103251&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA22LA296%20Investigative%20Photographs-Rel.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.