# NTSB ERA24LA119: Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18, N429SH, Polk City, FL, February 15, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 15, 2024, 17:10 local (22:10 UTC) - Place: Polk City, FL - Coordinates: 28.302724, -81.781731 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3027&lon=-81.7817&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) - 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): 193828 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA119 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193828/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193828 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA119 ## Probable cause The glider pilot’s misjudged altitude, which resulted in an off-airport landing and collision with a fence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=3801538), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=3801538), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=3801538), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=3801538), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3801538), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the glider reported that prior to the accident flight, he had not flown in over 90 days. The purpose of the accident flight was to refamiliarize himself with the tasking area of an upcoming soaring contest, with a general aim to stay within gliding distance of the departure gliderport. For about 2 hours, the pilot flew south of the gliderport at altitudes between 3,000 to 4,000 ft above ground level. He then encountered weaker soaring conditions and miscalculated his altitude by 300 ft due to a discrepancy between the glider’s primary altimeter and the altitude displayed on his GPS/moving map computer. By that time, he was too low to glide back to the gliderport and elected to land in a field about 5 miles southeast of it. During the landing, the left wing struck a fence and sustained substantial damage. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N429SH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N429SH), registered now, S/N 29032, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ALEXANDER SCHLEICHER GMBH & CO ASW 27-18 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/alexander-schleicher-asw-27-18) (registry code 3801538) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 29032 - Year built: 2008 - Airframe hours: 1624 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 11, 2024 - Departed: 6FL0, Groveland, FL - Equipment: Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; private; last flight review August 20, 2023; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,948 total, 344 in this make and model, 1,908 as pilot in command, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.16 inHg - Observed at: GIF, 15 nm away - METAR: METAR KGIF 152153Z AUTO 36004KT 10SM CLR 23/11 A3016 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20240215005449I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240215005449I), Feb 15, 2024: Alexander Schleicher Gmbh & Co ASW 27-18, Polk City, FL, Minor damage. Pilot advised he encountered weak soaring conditions with his glider and was too low for a safe landing and hit fence on both sides of grass area. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193828. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16791028&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for the record (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16790048&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MFR1-Rel.pdf - Weather report (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16790883&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Metars-Rel.pdf - Investigative photo (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16790970&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo-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.