# NTSB ERA23LA207: Schweizer SGS 1-26E, N33873, Wake Forest, NC, April 15, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 15, 2023, 15:11 local (19:11 UTC) - Place: Wake Forest, NC - Coordinates: 35.89035, -78.486213 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8903&lon=-78.4862&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 107132 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107132/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107132 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA207 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during the landing approach, which resulted in an exceedance of the glider’s critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and a loss of control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26E, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=8050124), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot of the glider, another glider was still on the runway as he was entering the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern for landing. He decided to land short of the turf runway and entered the glider into a forward slip in order to touch down in the intended area. He reported that, upon removing the slip, he noted that the airspeed decayed “from 60 to 30,” and about 40 to 45 ft above the ground, he realized that the glider was “stalled” and that he “had no control over the aircraft.” The glider impacted a parked tow airplane and terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the leading edge of the left wing and the aft fuselage. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N33873](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N33873), registered now, S/N 615, built 1974 (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: 615 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 1425 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: North Carolina Soaring Association - Registered owner: North Carolina Soaring Association - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2022 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 7NC5, Crooked Creek, runway 22, 2,500 × 50 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 16; injuries: minor; seat: single; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 25 total, 25 in this make and model, 10 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KLHZ, 11 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 20230415004031A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230415004031A), Apr 15, 2023: Schweizer SGS 1-26E, Zebulon, NC, Substantial damage. On 04/15/2023 student pilot on a solo flight crashed while attempting to land on runway 22 at 7NC5, Crooked Creek Airport bunn, NC. The glider struck another… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107132. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 6 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15447357&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 148 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15453499&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandom-pilot%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 258 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15426621&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-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.