# NTSB FTW02FA243: Schweizer SGS 1-34, N2691H, Decatur, TX, September 2, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: September 2, 2002, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Decatur, TX - Coordinates: 33.254444, -97.580558 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2544&lon=-97.5806&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: North Texs Soaring, FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55599 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02FA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55599/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02FA243 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall. A contributing factor was lack of total experience in the make and model of the accident aircraft. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis As the glider turned final for the runway, a witness observed the glider align with the taxiway. The witness reported that the glider "appeared to stall," then nosed-down and impact the ground short of the taxiway. The pilot had a total of 18.4 hours in gliders, and received a glider rating about 11 months prior to the accident. This was the pilot's second flight in the medium performance glider. The first flight was accomplished earlier in the day of the accident. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 2, 2002, approximately 1800 central daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 1-34 glider, N2691H, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during following a loss of control while on final approach for landing at the Decatur Municipal Airport near Decatur, Texas. The glider was registered to and operated by North Texas Soaring of Decatur. The private pilot, sole occupant of the glider, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed the Decatur Municipal Airport, approximately 1745. A witness near the airport reported that he observed the glider turn final for runway 16, and it appeared to be aligned with the taxiway. The witness further reported that the glider "appeared to stall" on final approach as he observed the glider nosed down, descent, and impact the ground north of the taxiway. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot was issued a private pilot certificate on January 22, 2001, for single-engine land airplanes, and on October 28, 2001, she was issued a glider rating. The pilot had accumulated a total of 92.4 flight hours, of which 74.0 hours were in airplanes and 18.4 hours in gliders. A review of the pilot's records revealed that the pilot had logged 1 hour and 45 minutes in the last 30 days in gliders. The accident flight was the second flight of the day in the same make and model as the accident glider. The pilot held a valid third class medical certificate, issued June 20, 2002. The medical certificate stipulated a limitation to wear corrective lenses when operating an aircraft. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The 1976-model Schweizer SGS 1-34 was a single-place, medium performance, all metal sailplane with a wingspan of 49.2 feet. The wing area was 151.0 square feet with an aspect ratio of 16. The aircraft's empty weight was 640 pounds and its maximum gross weight was 840 pounds. The airplane had 75 pounds of ballast under the pilot's seat. A review of the aircraft's maintenance records revealed that the glider underwent its last annual inspection on September 1, 2001, at an aircraft total time of 1,515.0 hours. At the time of the accident, the glider had accumulated 1,560.0 hours. No evidence of uncorrected maintenance discrepancies was noted in the records. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION At 1753, the weather observation facility at the Denton Municipal Airport (located 20 miles east of the accident site), reported the wind from 140 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 96 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.89 inches of mercury. AERODROME INFORMATION The Decatur Municipal Airport is located 2 miles north of Decatur, at an elevation of 1,047 feet. The airport features one asphalt runway, identified as 17 and 35, which is 3,900 feet long and 60 feet wide. The ground drops sharply 160 feet north of threshold for runway 17. WRECKAGE IMPACT INFORMATION The glider impacted the ground on a magnetic heading of 150 degrees, approximately 2.5 feet below the crest of the steep embankment north of the taxiway for runway 17. The wreckage of the glider came to rest about 5 feet southwest of the initial impact scar. The nose of the glider was crushed up and aft, and the canopy was found separated from the fuselage. The left wing was bent aft near the inboard end of the aileron, and there was a gap between the left wing's leading edge and the fuselage. A steel fence pole was found sticking into the bottom of the right wing. The fuselage was buckled forward of the leading edge of both wings. Control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION On September 3, 2002, an autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Tarrant County Morgue, Fort Worth, Texas. No evidence was found of any preexisting disease that could have contributed to the accident Toxicological testing on the pilot, was performed by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute, near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for carbon monoxide, cyanide, alcohol, and drugs. The toxicological tests were negative. ADDITIONAL DATA The glider was released to the owner's representative on September 2, 2002. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2691H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2691H-2004-03-15), registration cancelled 2004-03-15, S/N 91, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS 1-34 - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-34](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-34) (registry code 8050146) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 91 - Airframe hours: 1515 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: North Texas Soaring - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2001, 45 hours before - Departed: 8F7, Decatur, TX - Airport: 8F7, Decatur Muni, runway 17, 3,900 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 28, 2001; seat: center; toxicology performed; flight hours: 93 total, 1 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: DTO, 20 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 20020902022419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020902022419A), Sep 2, 2002: Scwzer SGS134, Decatur, TX, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. (-23) On September 2, 2002, at 6:00 p.m. CDT, a Schweizer, model sgs 1-34 glider, N2691H, registered to north Texas soaring of Decatur, Texas, crashed during… 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.