# NTSB FTW98LA323: Schweizer SGU 2-22E, N9920J, Canon City, CO, July 17, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 17, 1998, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Canon City, CO - Coordinates: 38.439468, -105.229728 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4395&lon=-105.2297&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 11, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43255 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA323 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43255/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA323 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude and his premature deployment of the spoilers, resulting in a undershoot and hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, approach - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - spoiler extension - premature, pilot in command (cause) - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The glider was launched by a ground vehicle. After achieving an altitude of 850 feet agl, the pilot disconnected the tow rope and turned into the traffic pattern for landing. While on a left downwind leg at an altitude of 650 feet, he demonstrated a stall to his passenger, losing approximately 75 feet. A 500 foot per minute sink rate developed, and the pilot decided to cut short the downwind and base legs. The sink rate continued to increase and he lowered the nose to maintain a safe airspeed. When he deployed the spoilers, the glider landed short and the main landing gear struck the runway lip. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 1998, approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer SGU 2-22E, N9920J, was substantially damaged when it landed hard at Freemont County Airport, Canon City, Colorado. The private pilot sustained a serious injury, but his passenger was not injured. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated approximately 4 minutes before the accident. According to the pilot's accident report, the glider was launched by a ground vehicle using a 1,200 foot rope. After achieving an altitude of 850 feet agl, he disconnected the tow rope and turned into the traffic pattern for landing. While on a left downwind leg for runway 11 at an altitude of 650 feet, he demonstrated a stall to his passenger, resulting in a loss of 75 feet. He then noticed a 500 foot per minute sink rate had developed, and decided to cut short the downwind and base legs. The sink rate continued to increase and he lowered the nose to maintain a safe airspeed. Although the glider was low on final approach, airspeed was more than 50 mph. When he deployed the spoilers, the glider struck the ground. He thought the glider had landed short and the main landing gear had struck the runway lip. The pilot sustained a compression fracture of a lumbar vertebra (L-1), and lost consciousness momentarily. The passenger corroborated the pilot's statement, but said he saw the airspeed drop below 45 knots as the glider was flared for landing. There were five other witnesses who gave similar accounts, corroborating the pilot's statement. Postaccident examination revealed that the landing gear axle and structure were bent, and one rudder cable was separated. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9920J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9920J-2018-01-17), registration cancelled 2018-01-17, S/N 248, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGU 2-22E - Registry model: [Schweizer SGU 2-22E](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgu-2-22e) (registry code 8050612) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 248 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Flight Training Adventure Camp - Registered owner: Dominik Strobel - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Departed: 1V6 - Destination: 1V6 - Airport: 1V6, Fremont County, runway 11, 5,399 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 453 total, 20 in this make and model, 343 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PUB, 30 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 19980717028149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980717028149A), Jul 17, 1998: Amtr 222E, Canon City, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) The glider was on final but low and the pilot pulled the nose up in an attempt to stretch the glide and the craft stalled and fell approximately one… ## Other investigations on N9920J (1) 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. - [NTSB MKC84FCD03](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC84FCD03), Sep 16, 1984: Schweizer SGU2-22E (N9920J), Ames, IA, minor damage 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.